I’m getting pretty bleary this mid-afternoon, having stayed up late last night, like much of the country, watching the election returns. As the evening progressed, I found myself on the floor, with Lassie on one side, and Willie on the other. Both of my paws were busy, stroking and petting my dogs non-stop, in my attempt to maintain a modicum of calm. No matter how you feel about the outcome, it was a historic night for our country, and like many others, I was wired, and didn’t go to sleep until well into the morning hours.
As I lay beside Willie’s warm body and stroked Lassie’s buttery soft fur last night, I thought about how wonderful it is that the dogs and I had never had heated, or even heart-felt discussions about politics, the election. . . or anything else for that matter. What a gift that those of us who have dogs can have such close social relationships with sentient beings, and yet base that relationship on something other than words. Not that I don’t enjoy a great discussion, I do. But there’s a cost to speech, as I said in Dog is My Co-Pilot, quoted in For the Love of a Dog:
“Words may be wonderful things, but they carry weight with them, and there’s a great lightness of being when they are discarded . . . Some of my happiest moments are when Luke and I sit silently together, overlooking the green, rolling hills of Southern Wisconsin. Our lack of language doesn’t get in the way, but creates an opening for something else, something deep and pure and good. We dog lovers share a kind of Zen-like communion with our dogs, uncluttered by nouns and adverbs and dangling participles. This connection speaks to a part of us that needs to be nurtured and listened to, but that is so often drowned out in the cacophony of speech. Dogs remind us that we are being heard, without the additional weight of words. What a gift. No wonder we love them so much.”
I hope your dogs (and cats and horses and parrots) are providing you with warmth, nurturance and provide a welcome counterpoint to the amazing complexities of human life and language. How lucky we are to have them! Here’s a puppy, thanks to photographer Patricia Thomas, who looks more than ready to be someone’s special friend!
Marisa says
How funny! I often find myself wishing that my puppy knew more words! I have found that much of my frustration comes back to words — me using too many and him using too few. When I remember that we don’t need words to communicate, things go much better.
Judy Norton says
I have the good fortune to live with 4 dogs on a 2000 acre farm. There are few things that I enjoy more than a long walk in the pasture with my pack. These are times when I use few words to communicate with them. Typically I say “let’s go” and “let’s go home”, and even that is probably unnecessary. On the odd occasion that I have someone on the walk with me, I’m struck by other people’s need to constantly give commands to the dogs. This isn’t a training session, it’s a relaxing stroll. If one of the dogs stops to sniff, believe me, he’ll catch up on his own. I’m thankful for the peace and quiet of nature, and that my dogs have these opportunities to be free thinking canines. I’m pretty sure they’re thankful, too.
Marlies says
Hamish has taught me a bark is a word with specific meaning. If I don’t respond correctly, it is repeated with more emphasis. Certainly when there is dialog, it is among equals.
Carmen Hurley says
I completely agree. The most peaceful moments of my day are taking my five dogs on quiet walks through the surrounding pasture and woods. There is seldom any talking, just some quiet praise. These are the moments when I feel most connected to them. I love to watch them run and sniff and enjoy themselves, and when the older ones tire they fall in beside me for the remainder of the walk. It is a peaceful time for all of us.
Katie says
One of the things I am most grateful for in my life is my relationships with my dogs, and how we can just *be* and nothing more is required, and yet there is such a unique and honest closeness in that simply being.
Sabine, VA says
….there’s an elderly lady Tessa (my therapy dog) and I visit once or twice a week at the nursing home. The pet visits are the highlight of her week and her entire room shows an endless love for all the dogs that ever touched her life. There are pictures and figurines of dogs in every little nook and cranny she could put them and her bed is adorned by at least three oversized plush dogs, which always make a good scare for new pet therapy teams. I had the sad task to find a new home for her last dog Sadie, a husky mix, after her former neighbor could no longer take care of the animal. Sadie had saved her life back then, continously licking her face all night until the neighbor found her the next morning and having to say ‘good-bye’ to her beloved companion made her very sad and I was so glad I could give her at least some comfort and make sure, her life saver found a wonderful new home for the rest of her days…..
This lady, who has become a very dear friend of mine, once said: “I like all animals, especially dogs and some humans”
I wish I could show you pictures of the bond she had with my great dane. When these two “visited”, I always stood quietly in the background and enjoyed the understanding and the bond they had. When he passed away two years ago, she cried for days. It broke my heart……..
trisha says
“I like all animals, especially dogs and some humans” has now become one of my favorite quotes. Give my love and appreciation to the elderly woman that Tessa (and you, the writer from Sabine VA) visits, and tell her it brought a huge smile to my face. I have to admit that after twenty years of doing consultations, there are actually a few dogs I’ve met that I didn’t like either, in contrast to Barbara Woodhouse’s No Bad Dog book. But there weren’t many, especially given how many I saw in 20 years. I do love humans so very much, I find our species to be absolutely amazing and incredibly funny (not necessarily on purpose) but I do have to admit it breaks my heart to see how we behave sometimes. I am working on equal compassion for all, a la the Dalai Rama, but I struggle with torturers, child abusers, people who are cold and ungenerous, and wasps. Yes, wasps. The insects. I know they are ‘innocents’ in the way of the world, but damn they hurt when they sting and they love to build nests in my barn. Hey, I’m working on it.
Sabine says
Hi Trisha,
I visited Mrs. M today and she told me to let you know that you are “her kind of a person” . I guess that puts you right up there with the “some humans” she likes. :))
It will be her 87th birthday on Tuesday and she will have at least 12 canine party guests, dog cookies and chocolate cake. She’ll be smiling all evening ! :))
Briana Turnbull says
It’s December 21, 2023, and I gratefully stumbled upon your amazing words. Wishing for a simpler world for humans without fully understanding dogs but I love my boy, Winston, and I every minute with him!