It seems to me that there are two types of people: those that love dogs and those that are either afraid of or don’t understand dogs. I guess you could argue that there are dog lovers who also don’t understand dogs, at least as much as they should do. Anyway, back to the question at hand: “Are you a dog person?” It should be no surprise to you that many of my friends are dog lovers. I have thought for a while now that the main characteristic of a dog lover is acceptance: the ability to see another perspective and accept it.
At this time of the year, spring is trying to force herself on us despite old man winter doing his best to survive! This invariably means that the once frozen, white terrain is now turning brown and sloshy and Rover is coming back from the dog park with, a minimum, muddy paws, if not worse. Dirty paws will often transform the back seat of your vehicle into something resembling your vegetable patch. If you have the foresight to cover the seat, you now have a once multi-coloured blanket turned into a delightful shade of brown, which needs washing every other day. Did Rover deliberately make a mess? No. Acceptance.
Dogs enjoy sleeping. We’ve all seen this, marveling at how quickly they can change from being wide awake to being in a deep sleep. No mulling over the day’s events for dogs: no sir. Body in crate, head on blanket and sleep here I come. Except every now and then, a most peculiar noise will emanate from the crate in the middle of the night. Is Rover in pain? Is he asking to go outside to do his business? Or is this some crazy dream he’s having? After investigation, the dream option seems to be the most likely answer. Where we live we will sometimes hear coyotes howling close to the back of our property. Most nights, Finn will ignore them but on one occasion recently, he let forth an almighty howl in response. Why that particular night at 3am? Who knows….. Was he deliberately being vindictive towards us, wishing to wake us up? No. Acceptance.
Most dogs shed: it’s just part of their DNA. Feeling the need to be constantly vacuuming up Rover’s hair can become frustrating. Does Rover shed deliberately to cause you angst? No. Acceptance.
Puppyhood is a unique stage in a dog’s life. And for us humans, going through house training can be real fun (not!). Whether it’s peeing on the carpet in the family room, chewing table legs, nipping your ankles or crying in the middle of the night because your puppy wants to be near you, these things are sent to try us. Is your puppy deliberately setting out to annoy you with his antics? No: puppy still has to learn where to do his business, what is appropriate to chew on, what play is acceptable and what is not, and is still trying to adjust to a new sleeping regime which doesn’t involve sleeping with his siblings. Acceptance.
The ability to laugh off accidents and to see things from your dog’s perspective: that’s what makes you a dog person.
