Cell phones are great. Texting, email, Web surfing and even phone calls…nothing beats a smart cell phone for staying connected. And that’s just the problem: Cell phones are always with us and it’s become too easy to play with one while doing something else. Just last week I counted 5 out of 10 drivers using their cell phones to text while driving. It made me so mad! They will injure themselves but worse…they will injure someone innocent.
And while I’m on this rant against improper and inappropriate cell phone use, here’s one that makes me even angrier: Going out for a walk with a dog and instead of paying attention to the dog, focused on tapping away on the screen of a cell phone. Our social obedience class has witnessed this a couple of times: Distracted owners walking their dogs and paying more attention to their phone than where their dog is going then getting upset when I asked them to pay attention and move over as we are training. That is not multi-tasking. That is taking time away from something that provides unconditional love. Walking with your dog is quality time…it’s when you can reinforce all the training lessons you’ve taken, improve the bond between you and your dog and generally enjoy your time together. Who and what could possibly be more important than that?
Now I’m not against taking your cell phone with you when you go out for a walk with your dog. Especially if you’re out early morning or in the evening in remote areas. If you or your dog is injured it is important to be able to call for help. Safety is important! But put your cell phone away and give full attention to your dog. After all, your dog is giving you their full attention.
The next time I see a dog owner walking and using their cell phone I’m going to hold up a sign that says “Nice day to walk your dog too bad you are more interested in spending quality time with your phone to pay any attention to your dog!”
That’s my rant for this week!
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At The Dog Stop we are dedicated to ensuring that you and your pet have a long and healthy relationship. We offer training for every age and stage for your dog. Visit our Training page for details: The Dog Stop Training.