Part
3: It’s Your Dog Too! …how women
inadvertently become the family dog’s caretaker.
Time
restraints, household duties, childcare, employment concerns, and hectic
schedules, among other concerns, have placed many women in a constant crisis
mode. Never in human history is so much being expected of them. In many homes
across America even relatively simple tasks such as feeding or taking the dog
for a walk are often contingent upon a woman’s schedule and availability.
Whether single
or married, many women can expect little to no assistance in the care of the
dog from male family members or friends. Men are often unwilling to participate
in teaching a puppy house training directives (cleaning fecal matter or urine),
attend canine obedience classes, offer financial support if needed (especially
after a divorce), and volunteer to occasionally take the dog for a walk and
provide a woman time to rest or complete other errands. Although men may appear
at times complacent or insensitive, the fact is, many of them have nurturing
issues and are often unable to recognize or relate to a woman’s needs.
Evolutionary patterns of male-centered thinking and perception allows
them
to assume the female species was designed for reproduction, motherhood and for
the benefit and convenience of men. It is only natural for some men to assume
that all care and nurturing tasks regarding the family dog should also be
delegated to women.
Socioeconomic
conditions are redefining sexual roles. Due to structural changes in both the
family and workplace, women today are confronting unique financial and physical
challenges. Women are now entering many professional fields that were the
exclusive domain of men (woman now outnumber men in veterinary degrees awarded
annually). But they are still unfairly expected to continue orchestrating the
needs of their household (shopping, cooking, laundry, cleaning) and adhere to
personal family schedules (doctors' appointments, carpooling, PTA), as well as
organizing social or holiday celebrations.
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