The idea of My Doggie Says… is that you can do a better job of nurturing your dog if you tune-in to the messages it sends. Here are some ways you can get past “sit” and “stay” and work on having a more meaningful relationship with your dog.
Favorite Toys. Do you know which are your dog’s favorite toys? Surely, there are a few toys that it likes more than others. Jamie’s favorite toy, until it got lost, was her little multi-colored basketball. Callie’s obvious favorite is a small stuffed doggie. How do I know it’s her favorite? It’s the one she spends the most time with. She plays with other toys, but she keeps coming back to the stuffed doggie, especially around bedtime. Once you know your dog’s favorite toys, make it a point to go pick one up once in a while and give it to your dog. Your doggie will know that you are paying attention, and it will appreciate your effort.
Favorite things to do. By observing your dog and and spending time with it you should be able to figure out some things it really likes to do. Jamie’s most favorite thing in the world was to swim and retrieve her “floppy” at Lake Arrowhead. Callie is just learning about swimming, but her favorite thing is playing soccer. She would play soccer for hours, and the thing I like most about it is that Callie invented her soccer game. We put the ball in her yard, but the ideal of playing “keep away” was entirely Callie’s invention. We’ve just supported it. When you discover some things that your dog likes to do, make time to share the experience with your furry friend. It will be deeply appreciative.
What is your dog asking you to do? Try to read your dog’s body language in order to understand what it might be asking for. One of my first realizations that Jamie was sending “messages” was her request “Please lift me up on your bed.” She did this by standing beside me (at 2:00 in the morning), while I was sleeping and gently “wuufing.” It took me a while to figure out what she was saying, but once I understood, Jamie was ecstatic. And, one day, Jamie asked to carry some newspapers home. It’s not always easy to figure out these messages, but when you do, your dog will be very grateful that you “heard.”
What is your dog asking you for? Jamie often stood by her puppy treat jar to ask for a puppy treat.
This was not real hard to figure out. The important thing was that I honored her request whenever possible. This reinforced her communication skills. Another of Jamie’s favorite things was to chew up a champagne cork. Whenever she saw me opening a bottle of the bubbly stuff, she stood beside me and waited for the cork to pop out. I was glad to let her have this little pleasure, and I know it made her feel “heard.”
Does Your Dog Invite You to Play? This is Callie’s invitation to play soccer. How could I not accept an invitation like this?
Sometimes your dog invites you to play by presenting you with a toy. Don’t ignore this polite request. Figure out how to respond. You could give the toy a toss and hope for a game of “fetch.” Or you might take the toy and give it back, in hopes of starting a game of “give and take.” Whatever you do, you will be communicating with your dog at a deeper level because you “heard” its invitation.
