Itʼs that time of year again, when everyone is thoughtfully listing the bounty in their lives. Generally, our Thanksgiving lists consist of all the little things in life that we often take for granted. From my perspective, there is one very important part of life that goes largely unappreciated all year long, even during the November gratitude fest: our dogs.
Most of us are fast to complain when the dog walks through the mud puddle at the park, barks while weʼre working, or wakes us up early on weekends.Sure, having a dog is a responsibility, and with responsibility come chores, but anything worth having is worth working for, right? And if anything in life is worthwhile, itʼs the companionship of your dog. So my column this month is a reminder of all the good reasons to say “thank you” to and for your dog.
When your dogʼs cold, wet nose prods you out of your delicious dream state on Saturday morning, say thank you. Now youʼll have the opportunity to get up and out early and make the most of your time off! Your dog gets you out for fresh air and exercise 365 days a year, and thatʼs quite a feat. Dog walks are good for both mind and body, and people with dogs get more exercise than people without them.
Once youʼre out and about, you no doubt encounter other people. Life is much more social with a dog, and passersby tend to make eye contact and smile as a dog approaches. Whether you consciously realize it or not, those smiles affect your mood. Non-dog walkers are often met with grim faces or no acknowledgement whatsoever when they walk the sidewalks. Actually, I am willing to bet youʼve made at least one friend because of your dog, perhaps many friends. So say thank you to your dog for your daily social interactions.
Itʼs not only the physical exercise aspect of owning a dog that keeps you healthy, say thank you to your dog, as well, for all of the belly rubs you get to give and all the affectionate nuzzles and kisses you receive. Petting or cuddling with a dog lowers heart rate and blood pressure, too.
Say thank you to your dog for teaching you how to quite literally stop and smell the roses (and fire hydrants, and street signs, and so on). Your dog reminds you to relish the simple pleasures in life, such as tossing a ball and, yes, even playing in mud puddles.
Say thank you to your dog for barking to inform you that a package has arrived and for letting you know when a guest is at your door or a possible threat is in your midst. Dogs are known to deter criminals even better than high tech alarm systems.
Say thank you to your dog for keeping the deer out of your garden so your roses and camellias have a chance to bloom.
Say thank you to your dog for being your constant companion and confidante. Nobody listens to your troubles and worries as well as your trusty canine sidekick. Dogs provide great comfort in times of loneliness or sorrow.
As a trainer, I am even going to suggest that you say thank you to your dog for growling. Essentially a growl is a non-violent form of communicating displeasure, fear, or threat. Never get upset at your growling dog, instead thank him for being so clear in expressing his feelings, then go about seeing what you can do to make him more comfortable. This is a much better approach than meting out punishment, which may stop the growl but does nothing to alleviate the feelings that caused it, leaving you with a dog who still feels nervous or unhappy but now feels he canʼt communicate that to you. A dog who is not allowed to express his concerns and appears docile due to silence is akin to a ticking time bomb. If your dog is growling consistently under certain circumstances, make note of it and call a professional to help you resolve the underlying cause.
Here is another training tip: Say thank you to your dog when she lets you take away valued items such toys, chewies, or bones. Itʼs not easy for her to give up such treasures. I recommend practicing object exchanges with your dog as a regular training exercise to teach her that, more often than not, when you take something away from her, youʼre actually going to give her something even better – and sometimes sheʼll even get the original valued item back. Win/win for poochy! – and a very valuable exercise for those times when you really do need to swoop in and get your sock or a cooked chicken bone out of your dogʼs mouth.
If youʼve practiced object exchanges, your dog will give up the item willingly. Lastly, show some appreciation for yourself. You have taken the time to read this column and to read Bay Woof, in general. Having an owner who seeks out dog behavior and training knowledge every month makes your dog a very lucky canine, indeed!
Kelly Gorman Dunbar is Director of the Center for Applied Animal Behavior, where she recruits and trains the instructors for the Dunbar family business, SIRIUS® Puppy & Dog Training. She is the creator of the SIRIUS Sniffers scent-detection program. Kelly is also Founder and President of Open Paw and consults on various matters.
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