We all have bad days including our dogs, for example Romeo looks forward to his “alone” time with Mom; a walk without the dog posse everyday at lunchtime. When he doesn’t get his walk, due to my hectic schedule there is a gradual increase in his anxiety level. How do I know? Because we walk at about the same time each day, he watches me for the subtle clues that I am getting ready, a bottle of water, a light sweater or coat and those beloved words, “Com’on boy!” His whole body expression changes, he enthusiastically jumps off the couch and is ready to go, as opposed to the days my schedule doesn’t allow for a walk and I find him, lying on the couch head down, watching me closely as I walk through each room carrying on with the business of my day. His anxiety is marked in other ways also, he will licking his paws, he sometimes paces the house, and general seems more restless.
Lulu, on the other hand, is the epitome of relaxation; perhaps it comes from her 19+ years on earth; well done my girl! But thinking back on her as a puppy she was always laid back, nothing ever seemed to bother her, one of the most happy-go-lucky dogs you could ever meet.
Lady is the complete opposite, the dog never seems to unwind. Even when she is asleep, her paws are stiff like a cartoon cat flying through the air. She seems completely unable to totally relax and enjoy life. Sure, she can be a happy dog and no one is more excited to see Daddy come home at the end of the day, or to take a ride in the truck to the dump once a week; but she can also be surly beyond comparison when she doesn’t want any of the other dogs near her, which is quite often.
Isabella, where do I start? Totally fun loving, has a wonderful loving playfulness, loves walks and running in the yard chasing the squirrels every chance she gets out; but oh does she define general aggression, probably brought on by never being secure in her permanent living environment! We first noticed it about a week after we brought her home, she seemed awfully protective of her bed, and then we noticed that when the food came out she would get more agitated. At first, we thought it was her getting used to a new home, and excitement because she was becoming familiar with the routine and knew when to expect dinner. We had dealt with this issue when MaeMae was alive, so I quickly put a halt to it by separating her from the other dogs immediately after her last walk of the day, which is about 1 1/2 hours before I feed them, reinforcing training and working with her everyday for about 30 mins.
Which brings me back to the title “Temperaments”. Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, an internationally renowned author of self-help books, once wrote, “Take the time to observe animals. What you learn will enrich your life.” He couldn’t have been more correct. Each animal, that walks the earth teaches us not only about their little idiosyncrasies, but if we truly think about it they also enlighten us about our own perceived faults and goodness. Observing animals both in nature, and those within family homes and following their interactions and reactions to other animals they have contact with often mirror those interactions of humans. We all have unique living conditions, maybe we’re single, married with a full house of children, or retired. Perhaps we work from home, or have a long commute. How many other animals if any are in the home, or is animal interaction limited to walks, and dog parks? All of these living situations create their own challenges both humans and the dogs that live with them.
We too notice when people are cranky, happy, fulfilled, depressed, sad, and lonely. The question is, What do we then do about it? Do we intervene and try to make that person’s day a little better, do we congratulate and celebrate along side them? Do we ignore their trials, and go on with our lives; or simply plead ignorance to their needs. Dogs don’t have the ability to fix the problems of people, they simply exist in the now trying to deal with the stress hormones we release whether good or bad; which is also the strongest difference between dogs and humans. We can choose to be mindful of the behavior of others; we can choose to intervene and possibly alleviate some pain or take notice of someone’s happiness; dogs are the accepters of our reactions; good or bad they are by our sides. Take the time today to really observe your dog, or the people in your house. Watching, and listening are qualities we could all spend more time mastering, be your dog and whatever you decide to do, remember to be accepting.