Dekker and his “Pawnderings”
Dekker is a British Black lab whose gifts for writing emerged during the pandemic when he had to stay home much of the time.
If this is your first time reading his post, you will find that his canine heart holds both wisdom and a lot of love, offered freely to readers of TheReflectivePen.
You can read more of his advice, plus articles about service dogs, by clicking the tab with his name at the top of this post.
Dear Dekker,
Are you looking foward to warmer weather after the snows of the winter?
I was all set for spring when it up and snowed again.
I had to put my bike back in the garage and wait three days
before I could go riding. I guess I am not very patient.
Do you have any advice for me?
Thanks, Impatient Patience
Woof woof, Patience. I happen to love the snow and don’t see a whole lot of difference when it comes to running or playing. Except that my feet aren’t stepping on old acorns or pounding the pavement when I run. I guess it is all in your perspective.
Perhaps because you wear shoes you can’t feel the softness of the snow. You could try going barefoot next time it snows and kick up your feet as you run through it.
I bet you would find it more fun than riding a bike, but of course I have never ridden a bike so I may be wrong there.
My advice is to fully enjoy whatever the day brings you instead of brooding about what you can’t do.
Dear Dekker,
I wish I could be as patient as you are. You have quite a reputation, you know.
No matter where you are you wait quietly for your person to finish
what she is doing. How do you stay so still for so long?
My dog would be dancing circles around me if I asked her
to wait quietly for more than 2 minutes.
Thank you, Nervous Nellie
Woof Woof, Nellie. Patience is a result of enjoying each moment instead of thinking about what’s next. (I bet your dog is doing that!).
First I find a way to be comfortable. A soft bed is good, but I am happy on the floor. You might prefer a comfy chair.
My secret is all in my breathing. I slow it down and before you know it I am alseep.
That is until my person gets up and then I bounce to my feet because we might be going somewhere. Woof woof!
I live only one moment at a time. I notice my person is often trying to do two or three things at once…like walking, and talking, and taking photos along the way.
When I sleep I sleep. When I play I play. And when I am working, I work.
It really is that simple.
Dear Dekker,
I wonder how you got to be so laid back…and so wise.
Is wisdom a matter of age? (I notice your whiskers are getting white),
experience, training, or genetics? I would love to have wisdom like you,
but I don’t have a lot of smarts, I guess.
Thank you, Anxious Annie
Woof Woof, Annie—you don’t need to be smart to have wisdom, but listening helps.
Experience and training have helped me to listen and to be obedient to what I hear. It can be hard to listen to only one voice when there are so many voices everywhere, but practice helps.
I can tell when I hear something important (like ‘come to supper’) because my whole body reacts. I have learned to listen to my body before my ears.
Genetics? I am not sure what those are? Are they edible? If they aren’t then you really don’t need to worry about genetics.
Dear Dekker,
Do you ever get tired of answering people’s questions?
Some of them seem rather silly if you ask me.
Most of the people I know look up answers
to questions on their phone. They Google them!
Why would they write to a dog?
Doubtful Dan
Woof Woof, Dan. If I could look at my person’s phone to tell me what she needs and when she needs it I wouldn’t have to listen or be alert to her at all. But I much prefer to communicate one to one like we are doing here.
I might ask why you wrote to me with this question instead of Googling it but I think at some level you know the answer.
Both humans and dogs need connection. Connection is as important as kibble to keep us alive.
I worry when I see people ignore their pets and spend all their time looking at a screen with a light in it.
I believe they write to me because they haven’t yet learned they can turn to their cat or dog and get better answers to life’s difficult questions than the box with the light could possibly provide.
After all..those light-boxes can’t wag their tail and lift a paw to say “I love you”. And love is the ultimate kibble. Don’t you agree?
If you would like to hear more from Dekker,
tell us where to send it!
