So I got to thinking about where resolutions came from. After doing some reading it turns out they go back to the Babylonians in Ancient Mesopotamia. The start of the new year is supposed to be about looking back at the last year's mistakes and making resolutions to improve one's life. I have a dog. She's a little terrier cross rescue dog and she's almost six years old, but we've only had her for five. Because she was a rescue, she's came with all sorts of baggage. She's scared of strangers and dogs and fireworks. She doesn't really like cats, but that's pretty normal for a terrier.
Five years ago, just after we got her, I started working with her to get her trained. Despite being a year and a half, she only knew the basic commands like sit and shake-a-paw. They told us when we got her that she had been abandoned in September and then adopted to another couple who brought her back a couple of months later. Why and how one person could give up this precious little dog is beyond me. The fact that it happened twice boggles the mind.
I'm definitely glad they did. My life would be incomplete without her, and even though we probably would have gotten a different dog with different problems that day, I don't know where we'd be without this particular little dog.
Because of Tia's aggression towards and fear of other dogs, we had to sign up to a dog training course in order to adopt her. It was probably one of the most rewarding things I ever did. I became obsessed with dog training, watching all the dog shows like Dog Whisperer, Dog Borstal and It's me or the dog. I also read everything about dog training I can.
That being said, my little dog is far from perfect. She still pulls on her lead something awful and she still snarls at other dogs, but usually only when they snarl first. We're working on her pulling, I honestly believe that she can and will learn anything, I just need to figure out a way to make her understand what I want. The only thing that I wish I could change about her is that she doesn't like dogs. If she did, I'd rescue or foster lots more dogs.
Rescue dogs are awesome though. I honestly don't know why anyone would want a puppy when they can have a dog that's grown up a little and in need of lots of love. I don't think I could ever go anywhere but a rescue organisation to get a dog. Why would you bring another dog into this world when there's one out there already that needs your love.
I can get pretty judgemental about it just because there are so many dogs that are in need of rescue and so many dogs that need help and I can't understand why more people don't help them. Don't even get me started on the people who abused or abandoned the dogs in the first place.
This month I start volunteering at the RSPCA walking dogs. I can hardly wait.