Ok, I never ever thought I’d be doing a cutesy animal post on my blog. I’ve joked for years that blogs started as a way for people to share their photos of their cat Mitsy and to document its life-story as it deals with the challenges of choosing the most comfortable part of the couch to sit on.
But here I am, answering Big Bob Hruzek’s call for articles on the theme What I Learned From… Animals. [You might also read about it at High Calling].
I instantly thought of a segment from my e-course/e-book The Stressed-out Parent’s Guide to a Happier Homelife, where I discuss how changing our expectations can positively improve our actions and stress levels. People who know me will remember my love-hate relationship with our dog … as in I love to hate the dog…
It’s yappy. It’s small. It’s … wierd.
Here’s what I wrote about it:
I have to be honest here and admit that I’ve recently discovered I have a ridiculous expectation of our family dog! At the root of my stress over the mutt (sorry, dog ) is the unconscious expectation that it behave like the one I owned as a boy. But it’s simply not the same dog; it never met my childhood dog and it’s a different breed anyway. If I still want it to change, then I need to take some responsibility to patiently train it, rather than just get frustrated at its lack of adherence to my picture of what a dog should be.
So what have I learned from the mutt dog?
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To take things as they are, not how I think they should be;
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To improve them if I can, or learn to get along with them if I can’t;
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To see the good in even the most annoying things and people (e.g., yes the dog barks but it’s a perfect kids’ dog, and my boys love it, so I guess it’s not all bad!).
19 responses so far ↓
Robert Hruzek // Jun 3, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Howdy, Pete; good to have you back at WILF again, Mate!
You know, you hit on something I guess we’re all guilty of - expecting all animals to be like the ones we used to know. Amazingly enough, they have all have personalities just like people do. Who knew?
Great three learning point, though!
Cheers!
p.s. Hey - who you callin’ “Big”?!?!
Jonathan // Jun 4, 2008 at 6:02 am
Animals are becoming the bane of my existence at the moment.
This weekend was the big move. Upon my first load of junk to the new house I discovered that I am now the proud parent of two barn cats and a barn kitten… Wouldn’t have been so bad, except for the weekend-long argument with stepdaughter on why the cat (especially the kitten) are not allowed into the house.
Last trip of the move, we brought our two dogs the dogs made a quick 15 minute perusal of the new house and then tore off into a nearby woods hot on the trail of some new scent they never had experienced in the city.
I was fortunate enough to spend the last two hours of my Saturday searching the greater part of a three square mile vacinity as people occasionaly spotted the dastardly duo. It was to no avail and I gave up.
Score Cats +3 Dogs -2
Sunday morning a beautiful golden lab comes strolling into my back yard and up onto my deck. The dog was friendly and unlike my dogs this one seemed to think our new house was a completely adequate place to live and proceeded to take up residence.
Score Cat’s +3 Dog’s -1
Sunday evening a car pulls into my drive and asks me if I’m missing any dog’s. I should have said “no”, but idiot that I am I said yes and gave a description. The kind people in the car said, “yep”, they are at our house right now if you follow us you can get them.
When I pulled into the driveway, sure enough they were my dunks and oh-so-much-more. They were obviously successful on their hunt from the previous night, for not only did I get my dog’s back, but they brought with them the rich and pungent odor of a skunk.
As I am not blessed with a truck and an open bed, I had to load them in my van.
Score Cats +3 Dog’s +1 Skunk Stench everything in my garage and van
The strange dog that arrived on Sunday left on Monday, but not after teaching my dog’s how to find their way home again. I believe my dogs discovered the wherabouts of the cat’s and two have disappeared.
Score Cats +1 Dogs even Skunk Stench possibly more powerful the next day.
My wife and I did research on treating skunk smells and found several concoctions that have some scientific sources referenced to them, so we have agreed to try them, but as we prepared to create bath, my first dog wanders in from his adventures coated in some strange-thick-evil looking oil. I was so exhausted from moving and then a zoo trip to boot that I gave up on the idea of cleaning him that day.
This morning his eyes were glowing red and a sulfury smoke was surrounding him. Whatever that oil was, it certainly posseses some evil.
Score Cats +1 Dogs -1 Demon Spawn +1 Skunk Smell Now its in the house.
Will update you if things change.
Pete // Jun 4, 2008 at 8:34 am
Jonathan, I think it’s time to euthenase.
(Before all the animal-lovers write in, that was a joke).
Man I hope you’re adding this comment as a post at your blog. (It’s welcome here by the way, that wasn’t a subtle WHY ARE YOU WRITING SUCH LONG COMMENTS ON MY BLOG comment. ;))
Looking forward to the next episode. Just how DO you get two-day-old skunk smell from a dog and a van? And is that evil smelling oil actually crude oil, bubblin’ up from the ground ala Beverly Hillbillies? Stay tuned folks!!
@ Robert: heh heh, BIG is the size of your heart, mate. As big as Texas. Looking forward to reading what you et al write for this “theme”. (Even if you are writing about a cat).
Pete // Jun 4, 2008 at 9:02 am
Hey, Jonathan, you should consider writing for Robert’s festival.
Robert Hruzek // Jun 5, 2008 at 3:57 am
Oh, please, please, PLEASE yes, Jonathan! You absolutely MUST write this as a post and send me the link!
This is the funniest thing I’ve heard of in a long time! Although… be assured I’m laughing with you, not at you!
Robert Hruzek // Jun 5, 2008 at 3:58 am
Or come to think of it, with Jonathan’s permission, I can also link to his comment! Let me know!
Jonathan // Jun 5, 2008 at 6:22 am
Robert, I’ll try and clean up the writing and do a post on my own site and maybe get a picture to go with. No promises on the pictures.
Danielle // Jun 5, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Dogs are great for kids, they teach responsibility, care, kindness, compassion and much more. You are doing your kids a service by allowing them to have a dog.
Jonathan… love the post… I mean comment.
Now time for me to write a post for Robert’s festival.
Karen Putz / DeafMom // Jun 17, 2008 at 12:03 am
Aw, admit it, you love your dog, don’t you?
This is a post my husband would have written– except there are moments I catch him lovingly rubbing the dog’s head. Bet you’re the same way.
Lisa // Jun 17, 2008 at 5:56 am
What a great post! There are so many lessons to be learned from animals–even for those who don’t care for them.
This reminds me of a time that I was telling a friend of mine that my six month old puppy simply had no manners…and she laughed hysterically at me. It was then that I realized perhaps my expectations were a little high–after all, he was just a dog!
Thanks for the lessons and have a wonderful day!
Lisa
Audra Krell // Jun 17, 2008 at 6:00 am
You make very good points. We not only expect people to act the way we want them to, but animals as well. We all want a little control……..
Pete // Jun 17, 2008 at 11:56 am
@ Karen: let’s just say I’m developing a grudging respect for dog … especially when I watch how gentle and playful she is with my boys, and because she once helped me corner a rat in our backyard! (That’s probably a male thing, but it did help me bond with her!) Hey LOVED your dog’s post by the way. How does she get her paws on the keys like that? …
@ Audra: you scorpion hunter you!! And control? Yes. Unfortunate but true.
@Lisa: Yes, is it “manners” or “conditioning”? Part of my irritation at this dog is that it stubbornly refuses to be conditioned. Although, that sounds a lot like me, now I think about it…
Thanks for visiting! Loved your post by the way!!
@Danielle: Have those chip packets stopped appearing in the car yet?
Karen Putz / DeafMom // Jun 17, 2008 at 2:08 pm
“How does she get her paws on the keys like that? …”
I had a doggie keyboard made especially for her.
Pete // Jun 17, 2008 at 2:13 pm
Nice.
Ruth Chatlien // Jun 17, 2008 at 2:17 pm
I got a dog that was the same breed and coloring as a former dog I’d owned, but this one is so different. They really do have their own personalities.
That is a seriously cute photograph of your dog, by the way.
Pete // Jun 17, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Thanks for visiting, Ruth, and yes they seriously do. And yes, I grudgingly admit to some cuteness re this dog.
Jackie Cameron // Jun 23, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Pete- I love your lessons learnt!
We had a visit from a friend at the weekend who had her elderly dog in tow ( we had agreed that in advance). As older dogs do he smelled a bit (of dog) and he was nervous and jumpy in the new environment. But he is her adored pet and she is a very good friend - so we found a way to get along.
I recall a song some time ago “Love me love my dog” - I think I might be able to sing a few lines…on the other hand maybe not.
Pete // Jun 23, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Feel free to sing; I can’t here you over here.
Thanks for the visit Jackie!
Pete // Jun 23, 2008 at 8:35 pm
I mean … hear. Oops.
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