Subtitled dog walks

Admit it, you do it too. If you are a dog owner, you know what I mean. All those inevitable “in-dog-mode” thoughts that we have when we’re walking them. I do that every time. I mean it’s not already bad enough that we talk to them as if they’re toddlers, we actively try and get into their shoes during the walk.

When Bonnie stops to sniff, in my head I totally role-play her, imagining what she’ll be thinking: “Hummm… Rufus was here. Hold on, don’t pull me just yet! He left a message…” or when she spots another dog and she just stares and looks back as if she wanted to make friends (aka butt sniffing). Or when she lifts one of her front paws, as if she was sniffing a rather exquisite smell, in the same way as we see on those dog-talking movies, which I dilsike, funnily enough.

She is such an intelligent dog. she can truly communicate with us. She will throw her toy at us to show us she wants to play, and starts chucking it in the air and catching it. She will silently come and sit in front of you to ask you to take her for a walk, just by looking at you and then looking at her lead.Then gently puts her paw on our lap, as if out politeness she was saying “Please”.

She knows each of family members, their likes and dislikes and sometimes acts differently to each one, as if they had a different communication code.She’s an aboslute foodie and would eat pretty much anything we’d give her, you know: “If my pack eats it, it must be good.” We were so lucky with her, she has settled in really well. It’s been nearly three years we got her from RSPCA and she has been a really good dog. She’s not aggressive in any way, shape or form. Yes, she barks at the doors and strangers but that’s her job. Other than that, she’s able to stay for a whole day on her own, without wimpering or barking for missing us.

Yes, I hate having to pick all of the tumble-hair off the floor. Every.Single. Day. Twice a day, most days. But she has been a big support for the children’s mental health (and sometimes ours), knowing that she is there, even if just for a grounding 5 minute petting. Pretty sure you can take it as a mindfulness moment in this crazy world…