I’ve always thought that my dogs know what I’m feeling. They have that way of giving me a gentle nudge when I’m not feeling so great, licking away my tears and just giving me a good snuggle when that is exactly what I needed. But, I have never realized just how perceptive my favorite pets are until this past year.
We have two German short hair pointers, Kona and
Sieben. They are sisters and Kona is the
alpha. Sieben is content being very laid
back, bossed around and in general conceding to her older sister’s
demands. They love running on our almost
6 acres of land and are able to mostly tire themselves out hunting shrews,
chasing squirrels and tormenting garden snakes.
When we go to work at our pizza place at night, they “kennel up” in a
very spacious play area in the basement or their equally spacious kennel
outside during the summer months.
Mostly, or so we thought, they just sleep while we are gone.
The first sign of trouble came this past August when
we came home from work to find they had “busted out” of their downstairs kennel
and were working on detaching the basement door at the top of the stairs. Needless to say, we were upset. So, a new kennel was purchased, put together,
secured to the concrete walls and life went on.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, we came home to Kona at the top of the
stairs, Sieben in her kennel, and both barking up a storm. Obviously, they were trying to tell us
something. Being the clueless humans
that we are, we didn’t do anything about it.
Hello! Kona, weighing in a barely 45 lbs climbed a six foot high kennel
and launched herself out of it! So, when it happened yet again, my husband
spent a day putting a roof on their kennel.
However; there had to be something more.
What to do? I didn’t want to get
rid of Kona. She is “my” dog of the two,
the one I picked out. And, after six
years, we are attached. But, why, all of
the sudden is she acting up?
So, I turned to Cesar Milan’s book: Cesar’s Way, and, even though I don’t really
agree with some of The Dog Whisperer’s principles, the part about separation
anxiety made sense. Thinking it through
a little more, Brad and I have been quite anxious in the past few months,
something that Kona had obviously picked up on.
And, I’m probably grumpy when I kennel her up, since I’m not too happy
with my evening work situation right now. I’m
sure she notices. The cure, according to
Mr. Milan, is to work your dogs out, for at least an hour a day. Heck, the book states, it will be good for
both of you!
Well, I took the advice to heart and started a
couple of days ago, walking both dogs for an hour a day, first thing after
waking up (after coffee, of course).
Mind, you, we live in Northern Wisconsin. Our roads are snow covered! Today, it was a frosty 2 degrees. But, as we settle into our pace, it becomes
at once renewing and exhilarating. It’s
good to be outside with nature for an hour a day. Kona and Sieben seem to look at it as an
assignment, a chore to get done before going on with their day. And they rise to the occasion. I’m sure it is only a matter of time before
they realize that it is 7:30 every day when we walk, and they will coax me out
of bed and into keeping up the routine.
It’s three days in, and suddenly, I don’t feel so
anxious. I feel restored and hopeful: something
I haven’t felt in a very long time.
These past couple of days, I find myself looking forward to the
walk. My head feels clearer. My goals have come to light. My glutes, abs and calves are screaming with
life.
Now it has me thinking, who is this helping more,
Kona or me? On some level I think maybe she knew exactly what I needed. After our walk and her treat, she lies down with a
contented sigh. Her work is done here.
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