Dekker’s People Guide
Dekker, a world-class service dog, not only works full-time attending to his person but has been building a side gig, giving advice to people from his perspective.
He loves to entertain questions from humans and has also answered concerns from their cats and even a chicken or two.
Some things Dekker has in common with both humans and animals is a love of others (not species specific), curiosity and a fondness for kibble. (That’s Oreos in people-speak).
If you have questions or comments for Dekker, be sure to leave them below. I have promised him kibble for each comment, and he says “WOOF!” for your support.
Dear Dekker,
How does a dog handle changes in weather? When it is winter,
the days are so cold here in New England that my
nose gets frost on it and my fingers turn white.
In the summer it is so hot all I want to do
is stay inside by the air conditioner. You
wear a coat every day. How does
that feel in the heat? Any suggestions
for how to stay comfortable
with weather changes?
Thank you. Chilly Charles
Woof woof, Charles,
I have wondered about humans who put on many layers when it’s cold. It’s no wonder I never see them jumping and running when the snow falls.
When my nose gets cold I use my tongue to sweep away the frost. Perhaps you could try that?
I don’t know what to do for fingers turning white. It’s too bad you don’t have fur on your knuckles! If I were with you, you could bury your fingers in my coat.
Not only would that keep them warm, but you could scratch my back while you are there. Perhaps getting a Norwegian Elkhound would help with that.
Now, when it comes to heat, I confess I am a sucker for air conditioning too. And I drink a lot.
I mean A LOT.
If you could drink about a gallon a day, I bet you wouldn’t feel so hot. And you don’t have to go out in the heat to pee. What are you complaining about?!
Dear Dekker,
I just lost my best friend and companion of over twelve years.
Oscar was always by my side (or under my knees in bed).
I have had some serious surgeries and Oscar seemed
to always understand. He was the best therapist
a man could have. He asked for very little and
always understood me when people couldn’t.
I just love Boston Terriers, and I got a
puppy to keep him company a few months
before Oscar died. Do you think he died
of heartbreak because of the puppy?
Weeping William
Woof woof, William
I think Oscar died because he was sick. It is why all people and dogs and cats die (unless they get hit by a car).
When dogs are born we are given a job to do. Some of us know what that is, others don’t have a clue, but that doesn’t matter.
We don’t really think about our meaning and purpose. We just love. I guess you could say Love is why we live.
When a loved one dies, people often bury their bodies, but love cannot be buried.
Love has no end, and your new puppy is there for you to understand that truth.
People often say they are sorry when death happens.
I wonder if sorrow is the path back to love, kind of like kibble crumbs on the floor after the bag is empty.
Dear Dekker,
Like you, I live with a person and I always have one eye open
for she is known for getting confused or lost. I get so
frustrated when, for the seventeenth time she asks
what is for dinner. We used to have a 2-way conversation
but now I do all the talking and she just nods her head.
I don’t know how to live like that
when she can’t tell me what she wants.
Thanks, Harry
Woof Woof, Harry,
If what you mean is, how do I get joy out of life without being able to talk so others can understand me, I have to tell you the secret is in my tail.
If you lived with me for a while, you would soon begin to tell what I am thinking by the way I hold my tail. Or my ears are also a good way of communicating.
I assume you have lived with your person for long enough to be able to read her body like my person reads mine. Many of our conversations are in this body language.
It’s never too late to learn.
You might start by ‘listening’ to her nod her head, or watch her eyes when she wants something she can’t tell you about. Her body will give you clues just like my body tells my person when I am hungry. (It wiggles!)
Dear Dekker,
Is it hard to sleep on the floor? If feel so sorry for animals
who don’t have furniture like we do.
Thanks for your wisdom.
Softy Susan
Woof Woof Susan, First of all let me assure you I do get to sit beside my person on the sofa in the evening, and I have a ‘bed’ of my own—but I will agree that it is pretty hard, so later in the night I jump up in a recliner in the bedroom.
People furniture is so much softer!
There seems to be an issue about shedding. I guess people don’t shed. It’s one thing I have no control over, but she loves me anyway.
You asked if it is hard to sleep on the floor.
No, not really. I am on the floor everywhere we go…under tables in restaurants, by her feet at the library, and on the bare ground when she is at a picnic.
I think it would be very uncomfortable to sit in a loopy lawn chair. I know that any discomfort I have will be balanced with love, and that, I guess, is the answer to your question.
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