Dogs are easier than teenagers
I'm a slacker.
Work has been incredibly busy lately. This time of year is nutty. Yard work and then working with the Marty Pants leaves little time for posting I guess.
Here's what's been rolling around the brain lately:
Sunday evening Aaron and I had dinner with Dan. Conversation turned to my newly discovered love for dogs, namely Clancy. I've always had dogs, but I've never researched training or nutrition on them. They were just the family pet. So, I got to really thinking about where this comes from. What's the big draw?
Many minutes in the shower and driving to work was spent on this theory, so you know it's a well thought out one.
I think it has to do with teenagers. Hear me out....
The girls are getting older and their lives more complex. The questions aren't easily answered any more. Parenting is difficult and delicate and confusing and frustrating. One minute I'm the greatest mom to have ever lived and the next I'm horrible and hated. This is difficult, yes? I honestly never know what to expect. I'm glad to say that this stuff is mostly coming from one of my daughters. I don't think I could deal with this from the two of them.
Enter my Clancy. He's hyper, he still jumps on people, he barks at strangers that walk near our fence. He sheds. BUT... he loves me unconditionally. I know that sounds stupid, my other dogs did too right? Well, life hadn't shown me that love CAN be conditional. That it can dry up and leave you stone cold. I also hadn't heard my flesh and blood tell me they hated me and didn't want to live with me and dad would never and blah blah blah. Please note, that these statements usually immediately follow the word "No".
This stuff is hard. And when I come home from work there is my dog, simply overjoyed at the sight of me. I could look a mess, I could be grumpy and tired, but still he wags his tail and does his little happy dance. I could be emotionally drained and he'll drop his head on my lap or offer me a paw and suddenly I don't feel so down anymore. Teaching him things is easy... he gobbles up his lessons as food for his soul. Never questions my process or "How do I know that?" He just accepts me as I am. The black and white and literal nature of a dog is like salve for an open wound sometimes. You ask him to sit and he does. Simple. I take in a scared, shaking little dog who is afraid of his own shadow and simply the act of sitting next to him is enough to quell his fears. Just being with him and speaking calmly about nothing shows him I am one of the good guys. He learns to trust based on MY actions, not those of others. He lives in the moment and lets me teach him things. All based on the simple fact that he is learning to trust me, wants to trust me.
It just isn't that simple with people and I think the more complex life has become, the simple rub of a belly and the joy it brings just allows me that little bit of control in a world where so much is uncontrollable.
Does that make any sense? I hope so... I have a couple dogs who need to get to sleep.
Work has been incredibly busy lately. This time of year is nutty. Yard work and then working with the Marty Pants leaves little time for posting I guess.
Here's what's been rolling around the brain lately:
Sunday evening Aaron and I had dinner with Dan. Conversation turned to my newly discovered love for dogs, namely Clancy. I've always had dogs, but I've never researched training or nutrition on them. They were just the family pet. So, I got to really thinking about where this comes from. What's the big draw?
Many minutes in the shower and driving to work was spent on this theory, so you know it's a well thought out one.
I think it has to do with teenagers. Hear me out....
The girls are getting older and their lives more complex. The questions aren't easily answered any more. Parenting is difficult and delicate and confusing and frustrating. One minute I'm the greatest mom to have ever lived and the next I'm horrible and hated. This is difficult, yes? I honestly never know what to expect. I'm glad to say that this stuff is mostly coming from one of my daughters. I don't think I could deal with this from the two of them.
Enter my Clancy. He's hyper, he still jumps on people, he barks at strangers that walk near our fence. He sheds. BUT... he loves me unconditionally. I know that sounds stupid, my other dogs did too right? Well, life hadn't shown me that love CAN be conditional. That it can dry up and leave you stone cold. I also hadn't heard my flesh and blood tell me they hated me and didn't want to live with me and dad would never and blah blah blah. Please note, that these statements usually immediately follow the word "No".
This stuff is hard. And when I come home from work there is my dog, simply overjoyed at the sight of me. I could look a mess, I could be grumpy and tired, but still he wags his tail and does his little happy dance. I could be emotionally drained and he'll drop his head on my lap or offer me a paw and suddenly I don't feel so down anymore. Teaching him things is easy... he gobbles up his lessons as food for his soul. Never questions my process or "How do I know that?" He just accepts me as I am. The black and white and literal nature of a dog is like salve for an open wound sometimes. You ask him to sit and he does. Simple. I take in a scared, shaking little dog who is afraid of his own shadow and simply the act of sitting next to him is enough to quell his fears. Just being with him and speaking calmly about nothing shows him I am one of the good guys. He learns to trust based on MY actions, not those of others. He lives in the moment and lets me teach him things. All based on the simple fact that he is learning to trust me, wants to trust me.
It just isn't that simple with people and I think the more complex life has become, the simple rub of a belly and the joy it brings just allows me that little bit of control in a world where so much is uncontrollable.
Does that make any sense? I hope so... I have a couple dogs who need to get to sleep.
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