The Perfect Dog Guardian

Is there any such thing as The Perfect Dog Guardian? I use the term "guardian," because it seems to be preferred over "owner," implying that we don't "own" our dogs, but "guard" them. Wait, that doesn't sound right. Never mind. Anyway, back to my question about whether there is any such thing as The Perfect Dog Guardian/Owner.

Like most of us, I strive to be the best dog owner I can be to Scout and Ziggy (I prefer owner, because guardian sounds a bit contrived, but that's just me). I feed them premium dog food with ingredients like flaxseed, vitamin C, apples, carrots and human grade this and that. I frequently (albeit, sheepishly) buy them pig ears even though $5.95 for a packet of three disgusting-looking, discarded body parts seems expensive to me. Their treats consist of dehydrated, Alaskan-caught wild salmon, which stink to high heaven, but they love them. My house is littered with half-chewed squeaky toys and bones. I literally said to Ziggy the day I adopted him, "Dude, you just hit the jackpot." I could go on (like the fact that they are allowed on every piece of furniture in the house including the bed), but is it enough? Are they happy? Could I be a better dog owner?

Of course the answer is yes. It's like asking the rhetorical, "Could I be a better person?" The answer is always yes.

So, even though I will never be The Perfect Dog Guardian/Owner, I owe it to my dogs to at least try.

Brandie Ahlgren, editor, CityDog Magazine