You move in, pay the mortgage or the rent, screw in the light bulbs, have the paper delivered. You think the place is yours, right?
If you have a dog, the answer is maybe not.
Gaston is a 4 year old Boston Terrier who is the proud owner of a suburban ranch home.
His owners chose Gaston specifically because the breed is known for being a relatively quiet dog. Gaston, however, has found his voice and uses it often. His vocal talents are on display whenever his owners have guests, a frequent occurrence because Gaston’s family has many friends.
Even before the doorbell rings, Gaston is prepared and waiting to be the first to greet his guests. He perches atop the armchair that is closest to the living room window, poised to announce the first sighting. When he spots a car turn into the driveway, Gaston begins to huff. He rises to his feet, breath coming in short gasps. His hair forms into a rigid Mohawk down his back. His ears practically meet at the top of his head. The anticipation of company overwhelms him. He explodes into a chorus of exuberant yips and yelps. Gaston alerts the troops to incoming forces.
He launches torpedo-like around the living room, leaping onto each piece of furniture and just as quickly leaping off. He reaches the front door just as the bell rings. The sound causes his barking to escalate to a frantic pitch while he turns backward circles at the foot of the door, flinging the doormat to one side with his scuffling feet.
His owner tries yelling at him to stop but Gaston is oblivious. Neither is he deterred by his owner’s leg trying to bar him from the crack of the door that leads to the awaited guest. He flings himself against the opening until finally, Gaston is picked up to permit the visitor a sliver of doorway in which to enter.
As soon as the dog is set back on his feet, he yelps and scrambles and throws himself against the newcomer’s unprepared body. Gaston becomes a dog on springs as he attains an altitude level with the guest’s belt.
The visitor is asked to turn his back and to ignore Gaston, but still the dog’s exuberant greeting grinds on. Should the visitor attempt to sit, Gaston is on him immediately, insisting on pets, lap sits, ball tosses, belly rubs, and more pets. He barks if the guest does not comply. He barks if the guest moves. He barks if the guest goes to the bathroom, while the guest is in the bathroom, and when the guest comes out of the bathroom.
Finally, his apologetic owners relegate Gaston to a back bedroom, where his muffled howls waft imploringly through the house.
Gaston’s behavior began to alienate even the closest friends and family. The owners found themselves arranging to meet people in restaurants rather than in the house. I am called in because a beloved niece, age 3, is knocked over by one of Gaston’s wild greetings. The frightened girl, though unhurt, is now terrified by the dog. Gaston’s owners decided it was time to get help.
With apologies to Alcoholics Anonymous, here are the Twelve Steps that Gaston’s owners took toward recovery of their home from their dog’s clutches:
1. Admitted that they were powerless over their dog—that their lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a dog greater than themselves had reduced them to insanity.
3. Made a decision to return their home over to their own care despite the presence of the dog.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of themselves and their ability to be patient and calm pack leaders.
5. Admitted to themselves the exact nature of the dog’s issues.
6. Were entirely ready to help themselves, and their dog, change all these defects of judgment.
7. Humbly worked with the dog to remove his, and their, shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons that had been assaulted or barked at by the dog.
9. Made direct apologies to these people wherever possible.
10. Continued to take personal inventory of the dog’s behavior issues and resolved to work on them.
11. Sought through hard work, consistency and calm demeanor to improve their contact with the dog.
12. Having had an awakening as the result of these steps, they will set rules for the dog’s behavior, carry this message to their dog, and practice these principles every day as good dog owners.
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