Puppy Service Announcement #3

Today's PSA asks you to consider the following:

Admit your mistakes before someone exaggerates the story!

My previous home and life was filled with extreme rules to control me and my behavior. I was forced to live 24/7 inside a cat sized travel crate.



Hi, Kitteh!



Yes, I agree, this mode of crating is humane if you intend it for traveling or for trips to the vet and back – not 24/7). I also had to endure surgical adjustments (twice because I have two scars on my neck) made to accommodate the humans desire to not hear me bark (Google devocalization here Google (Devocalization Surgery) – go ahead – I’ll wait...) rather than invest in appropriate and positive behavior retraining. I live with the consequences of their choices every day.

 

Yes, yes, I know – you know all that stuff about me…so, having said that:

 

I admit it may have been a mistake to try to bury my Himalayan Dog Chew  

 under the box in the closet, thus causing injury to my nose and removal of the above mentioned chew from my presence.

 Now, please, don’t anyone (read Diana or Michael) exaggerate the story and research the following:

 

Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

An anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry, by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing the associated anxiety, or by a combination of such obsessions and compulsions.

Symptoms of the disorder include…repeated checking; extreme hoarding…and nervous rituals.

These symptoms can be alienating and time-consuming, and often cause severe emotional and financial distress.

The acts of those who have OCD may appear paranoid and potentially psychotic. However, OCD sufferers generally recognize their obsessions and compulsions as irrational…

Finally, OCD…is diagnosed nearly as often as asthma and diabetes.

 

…Ahem…well…yes…there may be a few similarities between my behavior regarding my Himalayan Dog Chew and with the symptoms for OCD. There may also have been a few times when the outcome of the symptoms may have manifested economically, such as Diana bought me more treats when I couldn’t remember where I buried the ones she’d recently given me…

However, I avoid a more complex diagnosis of my behaviors by admitting just how irrational it is to attempt to bury my Himalyan Dog Chew under a box in the closet.

As we will never actually know the root cause of my anxiety and OCD tendencies, I am left with coping with the resultant behavior as best I can, with Diana and Michael’s help.

Thus, I firmly believe that the availability of an overabundance of Himalyan Dog Chews will go a long way to curbing my anxiety and OCD tendencies.

 

Who’s with me on this?

 

P.S. - While this post may seem lightlearted and could possible appear as if I'm making fun of OCD and those that suffer from it, I am not.  Diana and Michael, with the help of an animal trainer, are working with me to reduce the symptoms of this condition and reduce my anxiety in general.  We are making some progress.