"And who does your dog love the most? my friend laughingly asks my youngest child as she fusses over Odie, our cavoodle. The dog is delighted by the attention and the prospect of yet another person succumbing to puppy love and furnishing a treat. The child, though, has some thinking to do. It's a bit like being asked by a well-meaning adult, What do you want to be when you grow up?"
"When I am around, Odie keeps me in his line of vision. He is a tripping hazard outside the bathroom. In the wardrobe, he plays a guessing game in his head is it walk or work? (what else could there be?) If I am writing in bed, he pushes up against my laptop. And when I take a micro nap, he simply fits it into his all-day nap."
A cavoodle named Odie receives different expressions of affection from each family member, and those interactions shape his attachments. Early caregiving, such as frequent feeding, desk companionship and many walks, creates strong bonds. Proximity and routines influence preference, with Odie seeking visual contact, following people to rooms, and fitting his naps around family schedules. Children notice and interpret these patterns, sometimes with puzzlement or disappointment. Practical care like washing and tooth-brushing also affects relationship dynamics. Small acts of attention, access to doors and walks, and habitual presence determine which household members the dog favors.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]