My Confession: Learning to Accept Dog Mom Guilt

• Posted on 12 February 2024
• By Cori
• 0

I volunteered with the Rottweiler rescue in my early twenties and when I look back, that was the moment that my life track was set. We adopted our first Rottweiler, my sweet soul mate Abby. I realized then how special dogs are and how they can help us learn how much love you have to give (Hint: it’s a lot.)

During this time we met some fellow Rottie lovers that owned a pet supply shop who were looking to sell and my fate was sealed. My life was now thoroughly and completely entangled with all things dogs!

Throughout the years owning the shop, I have made many friends and most of them are “dog people”. I’m not talking about people who have a family dog and head out for daily walks and take Fido to the dog park on weekends. I’m talking about serious dog folk. Let me give you a few examples. One gal is a breeder and drove thousands of miles in a blizzard to breed her female (so my handsome JD could come into this world a couple months later). Several of my friends compete in dog sports at a very high level holding national titles. They train with their dogs every day and spend thousands to train, travel most weekends and keep their dogs in tip top shape. Most of them compete in multiple sports! Their dogs are not only their furry companion, they are their training partner and a huge part of their identity.

So where does this leave me? Here’s where my confession comes in. Sometimes when I come home from a dinner out with friends, I’ll ruminate on the life I give JD and start to judge myself. Let’s face it- our dogs lives are completely in our control. They ONLY get to do what we allow them to do! I l watch as my friends earn different titles and reach their goals. I see them training and their dog looks so happy and I wonder- is JD missing out? Sometimes a friend will “borrow” JD to do some demos or try a new trick and he freaking loves it so much! So- does he secretly wish he was their dog?

It leads me to question- what does providing the best life look like? We all know to provide the essentials; food, water, shelter. But that’s not enough for me, and it’s certainly not enough for JD! Dogs still have that wild instinct to run free in nature, daily outdoor adventures must be essential to their overall happiness. Dogs are social creatures, they require time with their own kind as well as humans. Depending on the breed, dogs also have the desire to work or do a job- how can I provide that?! The list goes on.

I’ve come to the conclusion that dogs adapt to situations much better than humans do. JD has never known any other life - and he lives a rockstar life! He gets to go to work with me every day. That means seeing new people and dogs all the time. Not to mention taste testing all the new treats. He may not get to flex his fancy obedience muscles like his uncle does but from my limited knowledge in scent detection we play games around the house that get him using his brain, and I have a blast watching him work.  

I’ve dabbled in herding, agility, scent work, carting, and even a bit of obedience, but if I am honest with myself- I know those types of activities are not my passion like it is for others. I see how happy my friends can be when they are in the zone (it brings me so much joy to see them in action) but as much as I tried, I never felt that passion and I’ve learned to say- that’s okay!  It doesn’t mean I love my big boy any less! When he looks up at me with those big eyes and his monstrous joker smile- I know without a doubt that he loves me too!!!