Have you ever taken the time to just stop and watch your dog? I’m not referring to watching your dog to make sure he is safe, not getting into trouble, eating enough or too much, or any other basic care monitoring. I am referring to watching your dog be a dog. Watch your dog quietly in everyday life and you will see things you have not seen before. It’s the simple things like sniffing grass, lifting a leg to pee, romping with another dog or a person, chasing the cat, chasing a toy, running with wild abandon, or just sitting quietly. If we allow it, dogs come as they are. I like to think of this state as the “Art of Being a Dog”. The trick is to notice this state and to be an observer. For so many years, I was so intent on controlling my dog and molding him into a little furry robot. And because of it, my dog was not able to be himself and I missed so many of the joys that come from being around a dog. At some point in my life, this changed and I gave up the control. And a whole new world opened up to me. My dogs are now a part of my life, as they are. Sure, I teach them what they must know in order to be good citizens and to be safe…but beyond that, they are allowed to be dogs. The intent of this blog is to share some of my thoughts on the Art of Being a Dog, suggestions on how you might cultivate this type of relationship with your dog, and also to share interesting stories about dogs and their people. And I hope to share some of the interesting information that comes my way, as a dog lover who has chosen to make dogs my profession.
