Talk to your pets, teach them the rules, show them respect, they deserve it and will respond positively.  My animals have always been fantastic and I attribute it to the love, involvement, attention, respect and love that I show them. The animals understand and want to please you. They show you oodles of love. They want to know what you want from them, they’re pleasers. They love you unconditionally, but do not abuse the unconditional love. Animals have needs that go far beyond the basics of food, water and shelter. Under the law if you’re providing just those basics, maybe the law says you’re doing what’s right but you’re not. Animals respond wildly to the attention and love I’m talking about. Try it for yourself and see…

Here are some suggestions for including your pets as a part of the family:

1) Talk to them–you would be amazed by what they understand

2) When you’ve been gone, greet them excitedly–animals have no concept of time and if you are gone five min or five hours, they can’t tell the difference.

3) Let them know the rules. They want to know what the rules are. You don’t do them any service by not disciplining them.

4) I highly recommend kennel training dogs so that they have a safe, comfortable place to be when you are gone. I have had dogs that were kennel trained and dogs who weren’t and I have to say that I would never have a dog that wasn’t kennel trained again. They like the safety of the kennel and even if they are house trained, if you are gone for many hours or they don’t feel well, then having them confined to a kennel really saves your sanity.