What If Dogs Had Thumbs?

What do you mean you didn’t know it was ‘What if dogs had opposable thumbs day’ yesterday? Holy ridiculous holiday Batman! Coffee almost flew out of our noses when we read it online. But it actually made us think. If dogs had opposable thumbs we’d all be seriously up the creek! They would be diving into the refrigerator for midnight snacks and unlocking the door to go on a hot date with the cute dog down the street. Leave a bottle of wine out and they might just pour themselves a glass! 

The truth is, we hardly realize just how much we depend on their lack of thumbs to keep them safe and out of trouble, because shutting a door or two is so simple. It’s called management, and it’s a mom’s best friend. So why not milk it? We do. Think about it – when your baby starts crawling, up go the gates and (big fat sigh of relief) you can stop worrying about the stairs. Well, there are a ton of ways to manage your dog too - not just his safety, but also some of his embarrassing behaviors. Don’t underestimate the power of Prevention! She’s one tough mama and should always be your first line of defense – even before training.

That’s right. Two dog trainers just told you that training should NOT be your first go-to. Instead, check in with Ol’ Mama Prevention and see how she can help first. Here’s just one way she can work her magic, no training necessary: if you have a dog who steals food while you’re eating, tether* him away from the table with a bone or Kong to keep him busy. Does this feel a little like cheating? We can promise you it’s not. Here’s why:

1. You’ve just stopped the madness. Now you can eat ALL of your dinner in peace.  
2. Practice makes perfect for your dog – and who wants to live with the PERFECT grilled cheese thief? Why not live with the PERFECT away-from-the-table-bone-chewing-during-dinner dog instead?  
3. Keep this up EVERY time you eat for a few months and you might just get a bonus gift. Take away the tether and you may find that now your dog doesn’t actually need it to stay put. Good habits and a great bone have done all the work for you.

Just imagine how many problems you could fix this way: stop your dog barking at squirrels by closing the curtains, end the shoe-chewing by putting every pair behind closed doors and spare your friends getting jumped on by simply putting your dog on a leash and standing on it.

Ol’ Mama Prevention is one versatile chick. She’s like the little black dress of dog ownership. You can’t survive without her and she never goes out of style.

*Tethering is putting your dog on a short leash and attaching it to something secure, so your dog stays in one place. Only use the tether when you are in the SAME room.

Leah Hatley and Justine Schuurmans are professional trainers and owner of thefamilydog.com, a website that specializes in educating the whole family on how to interact with their dog or puppy. To learn more about the online program and see free training videos visit www.thefamilydog.com.