How Fair is Fair?

Before the arrival of Miss Precious, I attended a dog training workshop called Barks and Babies. One of the many important lessons I learned from the workshop was to teach my dogs that life isn't fair. Especially after a baby arrives.

After a baby arrives, the daily schedule that your dogs have grown to learn and expect, goes haywire. Meals don't arrive on time. Bathroom breaks are irregular. Walks are less predictable. And nothing is fair. This new little being gets to sit by the dining table and stare at the food. This new little being gets to lay on our laps and bellies. This new little being always gets to go in the car and go wherever we go. Now, all of our coos and smiles aren't just for the dogs and it's hard for them to understand.

So the presenter at this workshop told us to go home and teach our dogs that sometimes life just isn't fair. Sometimes give one dog a treat and not the other. Sometime call one dog over for snuggles but not the other. At the time, I thought this made sense. Then the dogs won't think that they were entitled to something and anticipating their fair share when the baby came home.

But the more I think about it, do dogs really understand the concept of fairness? Do they remember that- Hey, last time Sabrina got the extra treat. How come she always gets the extra treat? Do they really understand - One for me, one for her...ah, ah, ah...you gave her an extra one! I mean, come on. I think it's really one more way we humanize our dog's behaviors into emotions. Wouldn't dogs have to have the ability to understand the concept of "one" or perhaps even be able to count to really know that fair is fair? Now, my dogs are pretty bright, but I can't say they can count.