The Way A Person Treats Their Dog Tells You A Specific Thing About Their Childhood
Every day with your dog is a gift to them and to you.
Jackson Jorvan / Pexels Dog owners and their furry friends share a very special bond, one that’s based on trust and understanding. Dogs are intuitive creatures: They can sense when their human is feeling low and needs extra kisses. They can tell when we’re happy and they share in our joy.
As dog lovers, we learn how to best care for our beloved pets, yet the way we do so says a lot about us, as well.
The way a person treats their dog tells you one specific thing about their childhood.
An Instagram post by Crown and Paw shared the following statement: “People treat their pets the way they wished they had been treated growing up.”
How we treat our dogs says a lot about how we want to be treated. Showing our dogs love and warmth while meeting their basic needs is one way to heal ourselves.
If we care for our dogs with unwavering support, we’re also caring for our inner child, showing the deepest part of ourselves how we want to be provided for.
Even for people who grew up with loving, supportive childhoods and were then able to form secure attachments as adults, the way they treat their dogs reflects their values, especially surrounding how they conduct their relationships.
Photo: Dom Bucci / Pexels
For those who were neglected as kids, having a canine companion can be a way towards healing, as caring for their dog soothes the wounded parts of themselves that weren’t tended to in childhood.
There’s inherent value in treating our dogs how we hope to be treated, as it models caregiving behavior that we can use for ourselves, too.
There are certain elements of doggie care that are non-negotiable. We have to meet their most basic needs by giving them food, fresh water, and a cozy place to sleep. We should walk our pups for twenty minutes, at least twice a day.
These actions also translate into how we should treat ourselves in order to live the best versions of our lives. We need to feed ourselves nourishing meals. We need to stay hydrated. We need to move our bodies, even gently, for just a few minutes a day.
Extending kindness to our dogs means that we’re learning how to be kind to ourselves, as well.
The key element to having a loving, supportive puppy relationship is to build trust, which can be done through training and showing affection and praise.
Photo: Hoy / Pexels
Showing cruelty to a dog only serves to instill fear in them. Punishing your pup just makes them confused, and withdrawn, or leads them to act out. Being mean doesn’t help them become better dogs, a lesson that applies to humans, too.
We should speak to our dogs with kindness. We should cuddle them and play with them and show them just how much we love them. Caring for our dogs teaches us how to appreciate the smaller things in life: walks in the sunshine, mornings spent snuggling, and the swell of love we feel when we’re with them.
Each day with a dog is a gift, just as each day as yourself is also a gift. Loving your dog can show you how to love yourself without hesitation.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.