Reno, NV – Area wife Michelle DiMarco remains in stable condition at Morgan J. Gordon Hospital after being admitted in a disoriented state earlier this morning. Sources say she was rushed to the emergency department upon finding she was physically unable to stop asking her dog if he was a good boy.
According to friends, DiMarco has been questioning her dog Java about his behavior ever since she adopted him eight years ago, and this isn’t the first time things have gotten out of control.
“Michelle has been slipping towards this for a long time,” husband James DiMarco admits, recalling that his wife would often come home from work and immediately start clapping wildly at Java. “It could go on for hours. She would just stand there asking the poor dog if he was a good boy with no response. After a while she would get distracted, but the second she saw the dog again it would start all over.”
“I would even hear her interrogating Java in the middle of the night,” Mr. DiMarco continued. “In the beginning I used to think it was harmless, but it has become apparent within the last few years that my wife has no ability to stop herself from doing this.”
Emergency room doctors say that ever since the self-esteem wave in the 1990’s, when over-parenting and achievement became the primary focus of caretakers and educators, hospitals have seen a spike in compulsive questioning of canines.
“The issue is insecurity among dog mothers and fathers that their dog isn’t as well-behaved as other dogs,” said physician Dr. Brian Hilliard, noting that the average dog parent will ask their dog if he/she is a good boy/girl approximately seven times each day. “This kind of insecurity leads to an obsession with seeking regular validation that your dog is good, and many dog owners resort to simply asking despite knowing they will never receive an answer. It can spiral out of control very quickly if not properly monitored.”
“The most proactive thing you can do is be aware of the signs of compulsive canine interrogation. If you notice that you are clapping your hands more, speaking in a higher-than-normal tone and frequently asking your dog the same question, seek help immediately.”
