Wisdom from Dekker
Welcome to Dekker’s canine counsel for issues that plague people…but not often other dogs. Why is that? We may never know, but listening to our furry companions can be one source of wisdom easy to overlook.
Read what Dekker has to say and perhaps you will get inspired to listen to your pup…or cat (although from my experience, cats are pretty tight-lipped). If you experience otherwise, do share in the comments!
(And for new readers, allow me to introduce Dekker, a service dog with his own reflections that are posted once a month to give us a slightly different perspective to ordinary problems.)
Dear Dekker,
My grandson is always saying “Hang loose, Gram,”
when I tell him he needsto be careful.
I think he believes I am just a dotty old
woman. I am really only concerned
for his safety. I notice you are very
laid back. I have no idea how
to ‘hang loose.’ Do you have any
wisdomon how to do that?
Thank you, Uptight Tilly
Woof, Woof, Tilly,
I have a puppy friend like you. The least little sound and Boccus is yapping and running in circles, sounding the alarm for a disaster on its way. He worries about everything. I think your grandson might suggest he ‘hang loose’ too!
The thing about the ability to hang loose is that a lot of it is built in when we are born. My trainers called me “bomb proof” from the beginning. I think that means I don’t get riled about much. Never thought about it much, really.
You, on the other hand may be related to Boccus. The most important thing to remember is there is no good or bad, right or wrong to how we are created. I love my ‘uptight’ buddy, Boccus, with all my heart. And I know your grandson loves you too.
Dear Dekker,
Do you have any advice for getting things done?
I am always stopping in the middle of a
project to begin something new.
I get distracted so easily! I notice when
you are asked to do something like
‘pick up your toys’ you always finish
before you go do something else.
Thank you,
Distracted Dick
Woof Woof, Dick, I suspect you are talking about my reputation, and not reality. Woof!
Staying focused is a challenge for both dogs and humans. I had to learn the command “Leave it!” when I was very young. It isn’t easy but kibble helps whenever you are learning something new.
When I know I have a piece of kibble coming I am much better at not letting a strange smell or funny sound distract me. I don’t get the kibble if I ignore “Leave it” and not until I get my toys into the box. Can you uremember that one little 2-word command? And I wonder, is there any chance you are getting into kibble before your project is done?
(Now tell me…how does Dekker know me so well???)
Dear Dekker,
I have been taught that only God has unconditional love.
We know humans can really mess things
up when it comes to loving, but you and some
other dogs I know continue to love when
people ignore you, forget to feed you or
even yell at you. If my wife did that to me
I wouldn’t feel very loved and then I am
apt to think, or say, something not
very loving in return. How is it that a
dog’s love seems to be unconditional?
Thank you,
Romeo
Woof Woof, Romeo. You speak of things people (or animals) do that you don’t like and how it changes how you show your love for them. Sometimes my person is impatient or ignores me…or even worse, forgets when it is mealtime! I don’t like it, but I don’t stop loving, because I see who she really is underneath her fur.
I don’t know this God you are speaking of, but I do know Love. Love makes my tail wag. I can’t control that either. Maybe humans don’t know how to handle something they can’t control? I bet they would do better with a tail!
Dear Dekker,
Do you ever find other dogs annoying?
In my people-world there are some
folks who drive me crazy and I
find it hard to concentrate.
I would rather they just go do their own thing
and leave me alone. Of course, that may be
because I am an introvert. Someone told me
that you are an introvert also. How
do you handle pushy dogs…
or people, for that matter?
Thank you,
Irritated Irene
Woof Woof, Irene. You ask if getting annoyed by others is something you can do anything about. Definitely, but it begins with accepting yourself first.
I suppose I am an introvert, if that means I like being with just one person at a time. It is why I wasn’t trained to be a therapy dog that meets and greets lots of people every day in different environments. So I was called to be a service dog, working with just one person at a time.
If I didn’t have my vest on, everyone would be petting me all the time. For an introvert, a little of that goes a long way. My vest has a sign that reads “Do Not Pet.”
What people don’t know is the back side of that sign reads “Pet me. I’m friendly.”
Sometimes the sign gets flipped and I enjoy a wee bit of friendly interaction with others, but most of the time it warns people to stay back. You might consider getting a vest yourself, then people would know to not distract you…and if you ever felt more social you could just flip your sign over.
Dear Dekker, Do you have any advice for sleeping?
I suffer from insomnia and I notice very
few dogs with that affliction. Are you all
wired differently than people or
do you have a secret?
Thank you,
No Rip VW.
Woof Woof, No Rip. I don’t know much about the wiring you are speaking of. To me, sleep is just what I do when I have no reason to be awake. My life is really quite simple but I notice my person is always doing something!
I believe the key to good sleep is to keep life simple. I would break it into three categories…Eat, Play Sleep. Some people would call my job as a service dog “work”…but because I love what I am trained for, it all feels like play to me.
Are you getting enough play??
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