CONTINUING ADVENTURES FOR DAKOTA

Oh my goodness, I am falling behind in my posts. But there are good reasons, so please do not desert me just yet.

Dakota is going through some tough adjustments that were not anticipated and I've been at a loss as to how to handle them. It started one day when I let him out in the morning. There was a loud bang. I thought it was from the sudden extreme cold we were experiencing. He immediately decided to didn't want any part of it and headed back into the house. I really had to work the encouragement route to get him back outside. Once I got through that he started down the deck steps and 'bang' it happened again. Well, that was enough for him. He was so spooked he wasn't going to have any of it. I resorted to taking him out to the side yard. Since he had never been out there we had to start a whole new adjustment program assuring him it was OK for him to go potty out there. Unfortunately, the side yard didn't come with any snow/ice for him to roll on. That sure put a dent into his day. At least I had a way to get him outside until we could resolve the deck problems.

Hap has put a temporary fix on the deck but it has taken days to convince Dakota that it is now safe for him to go out back again. Some days are good, some days aren't. But he's such a dear, dear dog, he tries so hard to cooperate and we are doing pretty well.

Evidently, this experience has put a warning sign into his brain. He now has acquired a new fear. My husband's office is directly above the family room. It has no carpeting on the floor. When my husband is at his desk and on his computer, he makes noises. Don't ask me why or how but he does. And when he's working on electronic equipment, he drops a screw driver or something else now and then. Dakota is now sensitive to noise and it doesn't seem to matter where it comes from. My husband can work at his workbench in the basement and the noise worries Dakota. I now find him instantly in my lap if he decides he doesn't like what he's hearing.

A whole new bag of tricks that I have no idea how to deal with. Yes, it's much on the same level with thunder. However, I have been working with Dakota and this thunder desensitizing program. I am more than half-way through the darn program and so far, Dakota has slept through the whole darn thing. The thunder is getting louder and the music less...but it matter not to Dakota...he just quietly sleeps right through each section.

I have no idea what I am going to do and what I'm going to be faced with in the months to come. It should be interesting. Perhaps cotton balls in his ears would help . For now I am just ignoring the whole darn thing. I leave it up to him on how he wants to handle the noises that, previous to this month, didn't bother him one bit.

We have now started our walks with Dakota. This is primarily a rehab program for Katie but Dakota is having a good time. I originally had a gentle leader head harness for him, but didn't want to use it for these outings. Now there is a regular harness without the head part. I got that and boy does it work. I think it's too tight, but I'll have my vet check it out. In the meantime Dakota doesn't mind it one bit and he loves his travels around the neighborhood.

My husband has to come along as I cannot manage by myself. I require my cane but hope to ditch that soon. Dakota walks by my side even as slow as I must go, but he takes it all in. He is in as much need for the exercise as I am. I'm not used to this slowness and cane walking. I've always walked my obedience trained canines at a rapid clip and now I am struggling so. I get depressed by the time I get back to the house. It's taken so long to cover so little but in time I hope my leg condition will improve enough that I can become more normal. At home I am using a tread mill that should help. With that I don't have the return trip so I can walk longer.

Dakota's treat when he gets home is some fat-free yogurt with doggie treat sprinkles on top. Hap sees that he gets that each noon. He loves it. Also, he's learning that he cannot have the whole bed at night and he cannot lay across it. He loves his morning 'love-ins' when I am ready to go downstairs and takes his own sweet time waking up so he can milk it all the way. It's such a special time that I dearly love. Soon it will be warm enough that he and I can head out to the deck and watch the sunrise, birds, etc. as we did last fall when he came to live with us.

So - all is well at our house with some bumps along the way but we'll manage.

Tomorrow: Pillow Talk!!!!!!!

STORM FEAR UPDATE

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been working with Dakota on a new storm fear desensitization program. It has come with surprises and a need to reassess the problem. I am more than half way through the program and would you believe Dakota continues to sleep through the whole darn thing. The thunder gets louder and louder and he continues to sleep through it all.

But I had a huge surprise recently. As I sat in the family room watching TV, my husband was in his office above the room playing a game of golf on his computer. He becomes quite involved in his game playing and this translates into loud sounds on the bare, uncarpeted floor. He also drops tools when he’s working on his electronic toys. This scares Dakota. He totally freaked out this past weekend. Before I knew what was happening, he was in my lap and trying to get over the couch and behind it. My, my, my, this wasn’t a thunderstorm but his behavior was exactly the same as if it were a storm. Noises from my husband at his workbench in the basement produced the same thing.

Through the years I’ve had two dogs that went through obedience school doing everything exactly right. Now that was frustrating. You just cannot have that. It required setting up situations so they could be corrected or they never would learn. That was challenging.

I figure I have the same problem here. I’m going to have to ask for help in figuring out how to correct this. I am hoping that by doing so, perhaps the storm fear will go away – at least partially, as I’m not really getting anywhere with the storm fear program. I heard we might have some thunderstorms next week. That will be very unusual, but should it happen, I will have an indication if I’ve made any progress. Things just don’t add up here so it’s time to put on the darn thinking cap again and try to figure out what the base problem is and how best to deal with it as all parts are different. I think the storms are going to be related to the barometer and the charged air as I’ve said before and I’m not going to be able to fix that. But perhaps Dakota’s response it could be lessened if I can work on my husband’s noise and get him used to that. Keep watching for my next update.

MORE ON TRAINING

Recently I published one of my old columns about positive training. Never did I dream that a day would come when I would refer back to that column after adopting a senior dog. It has become apparent to me that working with an older rescued dog is not much different than working with a new puppy.

Nearly every day of the past six months that Dakota has been with me, I am reminded of how much I do not know about him and his past ten years of life. You start out with so many questions that cannot be answered, never the less you keep wondering about this and that. I found that this could drive you to frustrations that cannot be resolved.

It didn’t take long for me to change my approach with Dakota. Instead of wondering how he became afraid of storms, how he was fed, why he was responding in certain ways that surprised me, I decided to think of him as a new puppy. It has led to a wonderful world filled with training, revelations, surprises, and success.

I had to start, as I always do with a dog by putting on my thinking cap. I find that by watching a dog in his daily living, you can learn so much about him and his behavior, it makes establishing communications and bonding a piece of cake.

Since yesterday was grooming day again, let’s start with that. When Dakota arrived I had no idea how his grooming was handled during his life. I suppose most folks wouldn’t consider that something to worry about. Perhaps not. However, I don’t want to put a senior dog through hours of grooming in ways that he was not familiar with and possibly scaring him. My dogs have always been comfortable with their grooming because they were introduced to it in a way that made it tolerable and acceptable. Dakota had so many adjustments as it was, he didn’t need anymore.

I started out with just brushing and combing him while he sat and stood beside me. I proceeded with trimming his feet but I left the nail trimming to my vet at first. The reason being that if I made a mistake he’d never forget it and it would make future grooming difficult. I found when it came to his feet that I had to back off at first and not do all four at one setting. No, it didn’t set a precedence that he would pull that all of the time. I’ve mentioned before that I talk to my dogs…oh my do I talk to them. It’s the best thing I’ve learned in my 45 years of having dogs. Every time I open my mouth, they listen, even if I’m talking to someone else. They listen for key words. I’ve watched them so I know.

Through the past six months I’ve progressed with my grooming with Dakota. He accepts his feet being trimmed with occasional reluctance but mostly sleeping as I do them on the couch. He tolerates my Dremel to sand down his nails; he sits on the grooming table and endures the endless combing and brushing as he has such a thick coat. And he happily gets down and looks for his treats.

Through the months I have proceeded carefully with each task whether it is feeding him, going outside routine, bedtime routine, etc. I’ve learned that he has had some obedience work, he has done some hunting, he has his way of doing things and I’ve let him do it his way. Dakota loves the outdoors. The colder and snowier the better. I struggled with this one. At his age and with our sub-zero temps, I felt he would be happy to have a coat. Nope, that didn’t make him very happy even though he tolerated it. Little by little I gave up the coat and Dakota rewarded me with a huge smile, wagging tail, and playing away in our frozen tundra. He’s made it through and is as healthy as ever. Mom had a tough time letting go, but I did and it all worked out.

I have gradually tried an obedience command here and there and he responds, so this spring we will start with a relearning program and I have no doubt that Dakota will thoroughly enjoy the challenge.

But my biggest reward is that Dakota has tuned into my jabbering and as I watch him now and then he is listening to me talk and I can tell that he’s picking up on more and more words. Dakota is so in tune with me that he will do things before I have a chance to say something to him. He is a very perceptive dog and smart as can be. I’ve let him know that he can “be all that he wants to be” and he is branching out in new ways all of the time. It makes him so happy and he lets me know that too. The changes I see in six months are, at times, mind-boggling. It is so much fun to watch a senior dog that has been through some pretty stressful things in his late life take on new incentives and thrive on them. I am about to start ‘mind’ games with him where he learns names of items and then goes and finds them. I had another dog once that loved that game and we spent hours playing. Dakota loves to think and associate and he does it very well and efficiently and asks for more.

This is just one more reason why a senior dog and a senior person make such a good team. I have the time, desire, and interest and Dakota wants the bonding and attention and loves to have someone to give him as much time as he wants.

TOP DOG

Well, the Golden didn't win. A little sad I suppose, but I for one appreciate letting the Goldens have a rest. Day one I was pulling for the Springer too but sadly it just didn't happen. There is a good side of that as I hope the Springer rage will disappear. I was so lucky with Melodie thanks to a wonderful breeder that knew what she was doing.

It was a tough day for Dakota....a double whammy. It was the "BIG" dog show and it was Valentine's Day. He was not a happy camper at times. Heaven forbid that the spotlight was not on him 24/7. He did not appreciate the attention given to all of those dogs on the TV screen. He kept giving us dirty looks but it didn't help. And, of course, he couldn't have any chocolate. Then there were the ongoing 'thank yous' with a kiss here and a kiss there. What's a poor Golden to do except try and come between his forever mom and dad. And the worst part was his card to his favorite dad that Katie made was sitting on the mantle and being ignored.

Much to his dismay, he has not been getting as many treats. He counts and he knows when two treats turn into one. Starring at the treat box doesn't seem to help. Between dad's daily noontime bowl of no fat yogurt with treat sprinkles to his bedtime snacks being cut in half, he casts his sad eyes up to try and make us feel guilty but it doesn't seem to be working. He has no idea why this is happening. Unfortunately he doesn't understand that his Forever Mom doesn't dare take him out to the vet for his heartworm test, yearly shots, etc. and find out when he gets on the scale that it's registering that of an elephant!!!! So it is prudent to get this under control before April appears on the calendar.

Dakota has discovered that if he doesn't get up in the morning, he gets all sorts of positive attention. His 'love-in' session has been growing and growing by the minute....Literally. It started out at a minute or two and now he's got mom involved for at least 15 minutes. Trying to extend this golden opportunity means turning around and pouncing on dad's chest while he's trying to sleep. After spending the whole night pasted up against his leg and taking up all of his covers doesn't endear him to face licking and nipping at his ear as a good morning wake-up call. Then there is that weight factor. He is not the small version of a Golden.

His newest trick is when he is outside, which has increased by a bushel, is to dash up the stairs of the deck and head for the door only to stop on a dime, turn around, and run back down to the yard. He then turns around again and with a huge smile on his face, he comes back up and into the house. Oh how he loves to tease me. He thinks it is so funny. He drops his teddy bear and has a huge smile on his face, panting like crazy, and the tail wagging full tilt he's so proud of himself. It's a darn good thing I have a sense of humor at my senior age, which just reinforces his little tricks.

I've been involved in an editing job of late that has taken up so much time. Dakota curls up under one of my side desks and patiently waits for me each day. If I start to forget lunch or dinnertime, he's up and shoving his nose under my arm and hand with the mouse under it and refuses to let me continue. I laugh at his persistence and agree to shut down. He trots out of the room with his huge smile on and wagging tail and races down the stairs, pounces on his teddy bear and is ready to play and eat. Mom realizes we need to get out more.

POSITIVE TRAINING

Published Monday, August 18, 1997



Animal Crackers: Positive training, positive results

Katie Ward

Remember when you were a kid and you created your first work of art after figuring out
you were to color with the crayons, not eat them? Your parents displayed your art on the
refrigerator for all to see. That's because there was a certain amount of learning involved in
your effort, which they were so proud of. There's a similar work of art in my kitchen
created by my 'kid', my dog Chaucer. Chaucer's work of art is a special, plain brown
paper bag laden with an assortment of sticks, bark, and pieces of nature. It, too, was
created through a learning process. Go ahead and laugh. You won’t think it so ridiculous
when I explain my newest experiment in puppy training.



Standard operating procedure for training dogs has always been praise for the positive.
Even when you correct inappropriate behavior you then follow with praise. Based on that,
my plan from the beginning with Chaucer was to accentuate the positive and totally
eliminate the negative in certain situations.

One day Chaucer decided it would be great fun to trim up our arborvitae by chewing off
the lowest branches. As he grew in size, so did the space under the trees. He was so
proud of his efforts. The only hitch was that this row of arborvitae had been my other dog
Melodie’s hideout. We called it Fort Melodie. While I was protective of Melodie's space,
I knew I couldn't respond in anger and frustration. Not this time. Instead, I praised the
heck out of him with each branch he brought in. I petted him, told him how smart he was
and showed the branch to my husband for further praise. Then I picked up a Charlee
Bear treat and rewarded Chaucer for his efforts. As I did that, I placed the branch in "his"
very own bag telling him just what I was doing. The bag now sits on the kitchen counter in
back of the microwave so he can see it.


By not scolding him for bringing things to me, I didn’t have to deal with chasing him around
the yard and prying his jaws open to get the 'contraband'. A year and a half later, Chaucer
has outgrown his puppy ways. The arborvitae look just fine and the yard stays pretty clear
of branches and twigs. Our 'training' sessions were a success and Chaucer's behavior as a
young dog is proof: Chaucer parks himself next to my chair patiently waiting for me to look
at him. There, in his mouth is a treasure. It may be a coupon, a misplaced grocery list or a
small invoice that blew off the counter. All that matters is that he get my attention. And
when he does, his tail starts to wag and he proudly drops the item in my lap. Then he
waits for the praise and the treat and struts off to his next adventure.



There is a serious side to this story and another lesson to be learned about training. While
the house was being oil-stained last week some of the cedar boards had to be replaced.
While the work was being done some sharp pieces of wood broke off the siding. I looked
outside and was horrified to see Chaucer with a large piece of cedar in his mouth. It was
partially covered with the gray oil stain. I realized if he chewed on that piece he could
make himself very sick. I opened the screen and walked out into the yard calmly, in a
cheery voice, saying, "Well, look at you! You found yourself a beautiful piece of cedar
that’s painted up so nicely. Aren’t you a smart boy." It took only seconds before he
dashed over to me and dropped the wood at my feet. I smothered him with praise as I
picked up the piece, took him into the house, grabbed a handful of Charlee Bears and
placed his trinket into his bag. He was so excited he tore off to find Melodie and pounced
on her with glee. I sat back with some glee as well figuring I'd just saved myself a trip to
the vet.





The lesson to be learned here is that no matter how well your dog performs during training,
it is necessary to have some errors. Errors teach your dog the difference between right and
wrong -- between eating the crayon and drawing with it. If a dog doesn’t learn the
difference between right and wrong it really isn’t trained and could eventually make a
serious mistake that could cost it its life.

When Chaucer and I were in obedience school he required far more praise than
correction. I concentrated more with his
training than any other dog I’ve owned. It was necessary to pick up on every right move
and praise him exuberantly and to
make his corrections very light so he wouldn't freeze in his tracks.

A year and a half later, I consider our 'twig' training experiment 100% successful. Why?
Because of the bond of trust that I have established with Chaucer. To this day I
occasionally break off a tiny piece of a branch and give it to him with his treat. He's grown
to trust my judgment about right and wrong and he accepts it unquestionably. Just like
those beautiful Picassos you created when you were a kid, the bag of sticks and twigs
represents Chaucer's ability to learn and his pride in doing so.

Smile for the day

Sometime in July a pair of beautiful yellow and black butterflies showed up in our yard. It
was a delight watching them flit around every day. One day I noticed one of them was
missing. I was sad at the thought that this beautiful creature had lost its mate. Several days
later, while Chaucer was basking in the sun, I noticed the remaining butterfly fluttering over
him. It grew more bold with time and soon was landing on Chaucer’s back. He'd just lay
there and look at it, putting his head back down to doze. Their relationship continues to
this day. Chaucer’s only objection is when the butterfly lands on his head. Now, when I
let him out, I keep an eye out for his beautiful yellow and black buddy. (We're
attempting to get some video for the non-believers.)

© Copyright 1997 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.

DAKOTA UPDATE

Happiness is spelled D A K O T A! It hardly seems possible that this wonderful creature has been with us six months. We are one big happy family. Dakota has managed in that short time to take over our lives and pretty much has things ‘his way.’

Mom has turned into a softie and passed up her long time established ways of managing a dog’s life. Dakota has showed me new ways of how to do things. And they are so much fun.

He loves the outdoors especially when it gets cold..the colder it is the more he loves it. He’s learned to haul his Christmas teddy bear around everywhere and, should he forget to bring it in, he takes great delight in turning around and running back to get it. Sometimes we think he does that just so he can fly off of the deck and hit the snow again.

His bed remains in the corner of the bedroom where he thought it was ‘just perfect’ and he’s traded it for the king-sized bed. Since he is a king-sized dog, we are left with precious little space to sleep. Because of his hip problems, it takes him a while during the night to turn himself around, but when he does, he is aligned up and down the side of my husband’s leg. And how he loves that.

He used to get up when I got up in the wee hours of the morning, but no longer. He has trained me to come sit down on the bed next to him and we have our first ‘love-in’ of the day. He loves the scratching and massages as it’s such a great way to wake up. Once he’s had enough, he hops down on the foot stool we have for him and sits there for more wake up scratching. Then he hops down and is ready to head downstairs, pounce on his teddy bear and head outside no matter how cold it is.

After his breakfast he and I head into the family room to read the paper. Oh yes, he goes to get the paper on the front porch with me too. Then he curls up in front of the fireplace and warms up and gets some additional zzzzzzzzs.

We’ve gotten almost halfway through the thunder desensitization program. So far, it hasn’t fazed him. He sleeps right though it all. I’m betting he won’t be bothered by any of it even to the end. This has got me to thinking about what I’m going to do when the spring storms hit. Of course, there is always the chance that he won’t have a problem now that he’s settled in with us, but that’s a long shot. He loves his Kennel Calm CD and we are preparing to play that anywhere in the house and see if that helps. Only time will tell.

How I’ve managed not to trip over him in the kitchen is amazing. He trusts me no matter what I do. He doesn’t follow me around nearly as much and at times won’t even bother to get up if he’s feeling lazy. Other times if my husband lets him in the house or whatever, he races around to find me. But my other dogs did that too. After all mom is in charge of the food.

He’s not fond of grooming but tolerates it pretty well. Nails are a problem just like the other dogs, but he’s more tolerant. Soon it will be full bath time and that should prove interesting. I’ve been busy trying to figure out which heartworm medicine I’m going to use.

He has taken to a tennis ball once in a while and likes to chase it down the hall at times. He also considers himself guardian of the home front and let out his second alert last week.

What a delightful companion. We still call him Chaucie but he doesn’t seem to mind. He loves his lunch with my husband – yogurt with a dusting of treat pieces on top. He knows most of the routines around the house now. He is an extremely intelligent dog. His vocabulary continues to increase. I find he knows more obedience commands than I first thought. He chases his rabbit out of the yard but only half-heartedly. He loves to ride in the car and takes in everything in sight. He now has managed to find a way to lick the plates after some meals.

We are a happy Forever Family and enjoy new experiences along the way. He accepts our elderly ways and adjusts to them whenever it is necessary. I look forward to the warm spring mornings when I can sit out on the deck with him and watch the day begin.

CHAUCER

Chaucer

You are the personification of the perfect companion.
A virtuoso of charm and decorum
blended into golden bonds of harmonious affection and friendship.

The epitome of a gentleman
your strength is in your silence.
The gentle nature in which you reach out.
The love and serenity in your eyes
calm even the toughest of hearts.

You are my guardian angel too -
never more than several steps away.
Understanding human frailties seems to be your niche in everyday life.

How I love your company in the kitchen.
And always tucked away somewhere in my office
ready to answer my call for help in this stressful life.

You are the perfect answer to a couple of aging, doting old folks
who find talking to a dog makes more sense than
dealing with the craziness of modern man and his complex gadgets.

We have a long road ahead of us - you and I.
Somehow I am assured that you will lead me in the right direction
and when I get off on the wrong path,
you will gently nudge me back .

I have the security of knowing that you will be keeping a watchful eye
on my coming and going, aware that I am slowly turning frail
and my judgment is not as keen as it used to be.

Thank you my friend and dear, dear companion.
How lucky I am to have found you.

Katie 12 / 99

DOGS IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE

Chaucer

Published Monday, August 11, 1997

Animal Crackers: Dogs can improve our quality of
life

Katie Ward

It was just one of those days that we all have now and then. Nothing was going right.
Everything I started ended up in a complete disaster. My Net access was down and my
column was going nowhere with a deadline looming on the horizon. The roofers were
driving me crazy with all of the pounding and the weather was not cooperating. By noon, I
pushed my chair away from my desk, threw my hands up in the air with a loud sigh and an
expletive and pronounced the day a washout.

That was all it took. Before I could start pounding my forehead with my fists, my two
canine companions were competing over who was going to try and get up in my lap first.
Four front feet danced around my legs with tails wagging faster than a flag in a hurricane.
The tongues lapping at my face tipped me over the edge and before I knew it I was
convulsing with laughter. And the more I laughed, the harder they worked at making me
laugh. Finally, I just slipped down to the floor and immediately was smothered in fur, feet
and tails, completely unable to protect myself from this lively attack of happiness brought
on by my own despair.

This, at least in part, is what having a pet is all about. My dogs have the ability to help me
put my life in perspective. And their timing is always impeccable.

Some years back when I owned a Doberman (Duke), I was hit hard with the flu. My
husband was on a business trip and due back just before dinner. As the day went on I
grew more sick and finally dragged myself upstairs tumbling into bed. Duke promptly
positioned himself as sentry at the bottom of the bed and didn't budge. I was too sick and
in too much pain to go downstairs to feed him and let him out. My husband's flight was
delayed and he didn't get home until much later that night. When he walked in the door,
Duke let out a couple of barks but stayed on the bed until my husband made his way to
the bedroom. Then, like a flash, Duke went down the stairs in one leap because he
desperately needed to go out.

I've learned many things from incidents like this and one of them is that my relationship with
my dogs is one of total involvement. For instance, I let my dogs sniff everything from the
groceries to packages that arrive at the door. If a major event is going to take place, I
prepare them by explaining what will happen. Melodie runs our house, our lives, and
Chaucer. When the roofers came, she set about letting each one know whose house this
was. Once she had this conversation, she didn't bark at that person again. As the days
went on, she checked them out every morning. If a new worker was introduced, she went
through the barking mode and then trotted off to her corner to sleep. But she checked
each of them off her list each morning and each afternoon after their lunch break. Whether
you realize it or not, dogs are fully integrated with our daily lives. From the first day they
come into our house we talk to them. And the more you do this, the greater their
understanding of your vocabulary. Yes, I know, it sounds rather outrageous, but it's the
truth. Every dog has the potential to develop its thinking capacity to the max if you allow
and encourage it.

Research indicates that most animals understand emotion and have compassion. When
pets show compassion and seem to understand, you, in turn have more of a tendency to
communicate with them and it becomes an established cycle. Perhaps this is why pets are
now taken into nursing homes.

When my mother-in-law was in a nursing home, the staff encouraged me to bring my two
goldens in to visit her as she had always loved seeing them at home. Our first visit was on
leash. The facility was constructed like a wheel with a hub and halls like the spokes. She
was as delighted to see them as they were to see her. Subsequent visits, without leashes,
found the dogs heading down the right hall every time and into her room, placing their front
paws immediately up on the bed to greet her. As time went on, more and more of the
residents looked forward to our visits and the dogs developed a routine of visiting certain
rooms. The staff saw tremendous changes in a number of the patients.

Many nursing homes now have pets on the premises and a number of humane societies
around the country routinely give pets to senior citizens living alone to help improve the
quality of lives and extend their independence.

One of the most rewarding ways I've seen dogs used is in working with depressed or
non-reactive patients. Therapists are finding that many patients who hardly ever smiled will
respond when a dog enters the room. Dogs are especially useful in helping people to
express themselves and become more in touch with their emotions. Researchers are also
finding dogs useful in working with stroke patients and quadriplegics.

Many dogs risk their lives daily to help police track and apprehend criminals. They sniff
out bombs and illegal drugs. They search for bodies in rivers. They have been known to
pull children from burning homes, save people from drowning, locate missing children, alert
owners to leaking gas. The list goes on and on.

Despite all these examples, surely we can't help but raise questions about animal
intelligence, instincts, and compassion levels that we may have not given much thought to
previously. That is why I give all of my dogs the opportunity to live out their lives to the
fullest. I feel that is the least I can do for what they give me in return. Daily they improve
the quality of my life. They are always there when I need them. My dogs never criticize
me, never complain, never yell at me. They are patient, understanding, and always
forgiving. I can't say that about many humans.

So, as I sit at my desk working on an assignment, my frustrations start to build, my writing
isn't going the way I intended, the phone is ringing off the hook, my client is imposing
deadlines on the manual, the roofers are giving me a throbbing headache, my husband
wants me to drop everything and write a business letter, and the road grader is starting
work on our road out front. I lean back and call Chaucer. Before I know it, a cold, wet
nose pushes its way under my hand. I pet him and talk to him for a few minutes. The
muscles in my back start to relax, the head doesn't feel as tight, the tenseness in my neck is
fading, my eyes wander off to pictures next to my desk of my past canine heroes and I can
literally feel my blood pressure going down. "Come on, Chaucer, it's time for a Charlee
Bear as your reward." What would I do without you my friend?

Thought for the day

Owning a pet is the best thing about being human. No other animal takes a
completely different species into its home, providing food and shelter, just for the
pleasure of its company.

A PET IN YOUR LIFE

When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey. A journey that will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known, yet will also test your strength and courage. If you allow, the journey will teach you many things, about life, about yourself, and most of all, about love. You will come away changed forever, for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its mark along the way, you will learn much about savoring life's simple pleasures --jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joys of puddles, and even the satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears. If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly experience every element, for no rock, leaf,or log will go unexamined, no rustling bush will be overlooked, and even the very air will be inhaled, pondered, and noted as being full of valuable information.Your pace may be slower, except when heading home to the food dish, but you will become a better naturalist, having been taught by an expert in the field. Too many times we hike on automatic pilot, our goal being to complete the trail rather than enjoy the journey. We miss the details: the colorful mushrooms on the rotting log, the honeycomb in the old maple snag, the hawk feather caught on a twig. Once we walk as a dog does, we discover a whole new world. We stop; we browse the landscape, we kick over leaves, peek in tree holes, look up, down, all around. And we learn what any dog knows: that nature has created a marvelously complex world that is full of surprises, that each cycle of the seasons bring ever changing wonders, each day an essence all its own.Even from indoors you will find yourself more attuned to the world around you. You will find yourself watching: summer insects collecting on a screen; how bizarre they are; how many kinds there are or noting the flick and flash of fireflies through the dark. You will stop to observe the swirling dance of windblown leaves, or sniff the air after a rain. It does not matter that there is no objective in this; the point is in the doing, in not letting life's most important details slip by.You will find yourself doing silly things that your pet-less friends might not understand: spending thirty minutes in the grocery aisle looking for the cat food brand your feline must have, buying dog birthday treats, or driving around the block an extra time because your pet enjoys the ride. You will roll in the snow, wrestle with chewie toys, bounce little rubber balls till your eyes cross, and even run around the house trailing your bathrobe tie with a cat in hot pursuit, all in the name of love.Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find dog biscuits in your pocket or purse, and feel the need to explain that an old plastic shopping bag adorns your living room rug because your cat loves the crinkly sound. You will learn the true measure of love. The steadfast, undying kind that says, "It doesn't matter where we are or what we do, or how life treats us as long as we are together" Respect this always. It is the most precious gift any living soul can give another. You will not find it often among the human race. And you will learn humility. The look in my dog's eyes often made me feel ashamed. Such joy and love at my presence. She saw not some flawed human who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only her wonderful companion.Or maybe she saw those things and dismissed them as mere human foibles, not worth considering, and so chose to love me anyway. If you pay attention and learn well, when the journey is done, you will be not just a better person, but the person your pet always knew you to be. The one they were proud to call beloved friend. I must caution you that this journey is not without pain. Like all paths of true love, the pain is part of loving. For as surely as the sun sets, one day your dear animal companion will follow a trail you cannot yet go down. And you will have to find the strength and love to let them go. A pet's time on earth is far too short, especially for those that love them.We borrow them, really, just for a while,and during these brief years they are generous enough to give us all their love, every inch of their spirit and heart,until one day there is nothing left. The cat that only yesterday was a kitten is all too soon old and frail and sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy now wakes up stiff and lame, the muzzle gone to gray. Deep down we somehow always knew that this journey would end. We knew that if we gave our hearts they would be broken. But give them we must for it is all they ask in return. When the time comes,and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot see, we give one final gift and let them run on ahead, young and whole once more. "God speed, good friend," we say,until our journey comes full circle and our paths cross again