There have been a number of recent newspaper articles poking fun at dog owners who give their dogs massages, organic food, trips to doggie daycare etc, but are we really spoiling our dogs?

I don’t believe it is spoiling to make sure your dog is healthy, comfortable, well exercised and well fed. It is, however, spoiling to give your dog what he wants immediately just because he wants it.

I see a lot of dogs who will throw a temper tantrum whenever their wants are denied for a moment. They can’t bear to be fed five minutes late; they bark and scratch at the door if left alone even briefly; they mouth at hands if they aren’t petted the instant they want to be. Some of these dogs escalate their tantrums to the point of threatening people when they don’t get their way. Others become chronically anxious because they haven’t learned any coping skills. Spoiled dogs often end up having less rich lives because their bratty behavior makes them unwelcome in public, visiting relatives, on car rides etc.

Spoiling isn’t about what you give your dog; it’s about why and when. Just like kids, dogs become spoiled when they get everything they want the moment they want it.

From Wikipedia: Spoiled Child Syndrome is characterized by “excessive, self-centered, and immature behavior”. It includes lack of consideration for other people, recurrent temper tantrums, an inability to handle the delay of gratification, demands for having one’s own way, obstructiveness, and manipulation. Sound like any dogs you know?

Many dog owners treat their dogs like perpetual toddlers who will never grow up. However, dogs can become mature adults if we treat them as such. When raising children, parents are always thinking about teaching their kids to deal with the world as grown ups—they will need to learn to deal with disappointment, delayed gratification, rules that they don’t like etc. Since dogs never do grow up and leave home, there is the tendency to treat them as babies. However, treating them this way guarantees that you will be living with the equivalent of the terrible twos for the life of your dog. Wouldn’t you both be happier if your dog grew into a mature companion? He will still be the fun, cheerful buddy who loves to rip up squeaky toys, roll over for belly rubs, and welcome you home with a full body wag, he just will have the patience to deal with life’s inevitable delays and disappointments.

Here’s a checklist (http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/spoiled.html) to see if your dog is spoiled or if you are over-indulging your dog.