Dekker offers advice about birdfeeders and Covid
Dekker is listening…
Welcome to Dekker’s Advice column, where people get to benefit from canine wisdom. For all of Dekker’s posts click here. Wisdom from Dekker
Dear Dekker,
I just love holidays and celebrations.
Thanksgiving turkey, Fireworks and Easter eggs.
I feel bad that dogs don’t get to party the way people do.
Do you ever get to celebrate a special occasion?
Thanks. Partying Pete
Woof woof, Pete – I have a very similar question about people. I often wonder why they don’t party every day. It seems like they are always setting some faraway date to celebrate.
I can’t speak for other dogs, woof!, but I know every day is a happy event for me. I get to go outside and run and play, and when I go to work I get to wear a bright red jacket. I celebrate every night after supper with a special treat and every morning I get to chase a ball before the sun is up.
I love that! For me, every moment is a cause for celebration. I feel bad that people have to wait for a special occasion. Try blowing up balloons on an ordinary day and then ask your person to bring out some kibble…or chocolate. Celebrate the moment. You will see what I mean.
Dear Dekker
My beloved Mitzie died last week.
I miss her so much. She was my life and gave me a reason to live.
Now that she is gone I cannot seem to find peace. I find myself
looking and listening for her everywhere.
Do dogs ever come back from the dead?
Sad Sally
Woooof-oof-oof, Sally – That makes my ears droop. When a loved one dies and we can no longer nuzzle our nose against their cheek or smell them beside us there is an awful feeling inside that takes up so much space that even kibble doesn’t sound good.
You ask if Mitzie will ever return. The simple answer is no. I like simple, don’t you?
One of the pups in the litter I was born in died a few weeks after he was born. His name was Donny and I loved to wrap myself next to him. I knew something was wrong. When he died I had a lot of confusion and difficulty sleeping.
But I found comfort in the other pups in my litter. We just snuggled even closer and they kept me warm. We played together until they were adopted by some people.
And then I had difficulty sleeping again until I had my own person to snuggle with.
That seems to be the way of life – love, lose, love again.
I hope you think about visiting a shelter, because there is a littermate just waiting for you to come close enough to smell and kiss and take to a new home.
Dear Dekker, some kind of critter, maybe a bear,
got into my bird feeders last night and they were so bold
that they even stole the little house that was on top of the pole.
Now I have to replace all my feeders. I love to watch the
birds and listen to them sing.
Any suggestions?
Thank you, Bird Lady
Woof woof, Bird Lady – I wonder why no one ever asks me to sing?! Perhaps if I had a plate of kibble waiting for me in a little house on a pole I could sing. I would be willing to try. Whoever got into your bird feeders may have been more like me with a voice so out of tune he knew to keep his mouth shut. And he may have taken the house to check it out for more goodies.
I have one suggestion. You could invite a dog over to sleep by your window and when he sees one of those hungry critters he would bark and wake you up. He couldn’t do much about a bear, but if you are both awake, you could share a bowl of kibble (you could have Cheerios), and wait for the birds together. That’s my best advice right now.
Dear Dekker, Is it possible to catch Covid from my dog?
What should I do if I get Covid – or my dog, Lucky, gets it?
Wondering Wilbur,
Woof woof, Wilbur. I am not much of a reader so you would have to read what the scientists say about that. Click Here for an article about Covid and dogs.
I can hear your concern, though, and I know when my person begins to worry about something important and scary she gets nervous.
That’s when I give her more time to snuggle. One of my biggest jobs is to wiggle my butt and flash my big brown eyes. She gets to laughing and relaxes in no time.
What does your pet do for you that makes you smile? I would ask her for more of that. In the meantime, I would expect Lucky to live up to her name.
To all my readers: Do you enjoy my woofy reflections? Whenever you leave a comment I get a piece of kibble. I bet you didn’t know it was that easy to put a smile on a dog’s mug!! Sending woof-love!
Dekker
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