Pets!
Of course are too sophisticated to resort to the same stunts
that your kids do. What they do differently instead is to
develop some weird hard to solve behavior problems - when
you don't buy them some of the things that they like - the
new collar that your neighbour's pet is wearing or the new
toy that your friend bought for her pet.
As
an alert pet owner, you need to be sensitive to such feelers
sent out by your pets.
If
you change their food or bedding sometimes you can see the
results in minutes. They either like it or don't like it.
It's clear and straight forward.
Besides
pester power, pets also use many superior manipulation strategies
to get you to pay attention to them and to follow the lifestyle
that they like you to follow.
However,
what if they don't like the new perfume that you are using,
or the new music that you are playing. What do they do?
What do you do?
They
just cannot get up and shut off your television set or tape
recorder. Instead, you may be amazed at the surprising number
of coincidences that happen -just at such times.
You
know your pets don't like it when - your pets repeatedly
come demanding your attention - just when you have visitors,
when you are on the telephone, or are busy soaked up reading
an interesting book.
So,
what do you do when such things happen? Do you adjust your
life style, habits and behaviours to suit your pets and
then do you turn around and give them attention? Upto a
point, yes! But more practically, you need to give them
their daily dose of attention - preferably at the same time
everyday for just the same duration of time.
You
can do a mix of two things. Give them more physical space.
If you have a garden, then let them explore the garden for
a longer time than they are normally out. Create some interesting
looking structures in your garden.
Schedule
your attention times for them on a well regulated time plan
and buy them some toys and play some games with them. You
will soon see the difference!
