Ode To Man's Best Friends - Dogs
Rather than taking you down a tear jerking story about missing the quiet comforting received when we are down, nudges for a responsive acknowledgement "I am here". Kisses come free (just watch that tongue), sharing is almost expected or will slowly be given as you weaken in your resolve.
What I have learned from faithful companionship in dogs.
Dog breed: Rhodesian Ridgebacks - Introducition to Rex AKA 'Big Red' who walked with a swagger earning him another nickname "John Wayne", nicknames alter as they get older "Ompie" (My interpretation "Old Man").
Introducing Jodi AKA 'Boob', very confident young girl her nick names used "Jo" or "JoJo". Rex being her constant companion, she learned quickly how to win the 'jackpot' first time most days!
Lessons start young, behaviour, mixing with people and other animals all takes great effort - What I learned Sniff It Out Dogs rush up to each other and sniff, is he friend or is he foe? Teaching humans good lessons in life, partnerships and/or business, research must never be underestimated when entering into any relationship, contracts or investments, there are no short cuts, sniff thoroughly!
Work from home, Find Something You Love, And Do It Over And Over Many of us find ourselves un-employed, we need to lean how just like dogs, enjoyment in playing fetch over and over, find something you enjoy. Do it over and over gaining confidence, passion drives us forward in what we do, once we trigger confidence within our passion, this driving force steers us forward to succeed. Practice makes perfect. (Photo above the two testing out each others patience, just for fun.)
Dogs regulate their body temperature when they Breathe Deeply Humans alleviate stress, clearing our mind for the next task at hand, deep breaths help us regulate our emotional temperature, deep breathe in and out like a dog, does you good. (Photo: Rex at the back doing more of a river plod, Jodi exploding through at great speed to impress... Aha Youth)
Speak Up When Things Don't Feel Right Being at home on my own, Rex had a couch and Jodi inherited the chair (from the bitch before, that is for another story) absolutely nothing could move through the garden without them barking to alert me, especially monkeys in trees outside or cats trying to take a short cut. Dogs have exceptional hearing, instincts. We need to learn is how to listen to our instincts and speak up when things do not feel right. (Yeah go ahead, have a good bark!)
Learn To Receive Dogs know how to give love, and also how to receive it! Instead of doubting our self-worth, keeping anything at arms-length, practice receiving it in all its many forms, love, gifts, advice. (It may end up feeling better than belly rub Jodi loved, or an eye rub Rex loved. A broken twig as a gift is still a gift given!)
Our dogs learn very quickly their name, nicknames given and respond.Know Who You Are. We need to explore who we are, more than just a name, find out our strengths and weaknesses, (exactly the same way our dogs do,) getting to know yourself better, explore who you are to become a better version of who you actually want to be in life.
Take Lots Of Walks Take regular breaks, short or longer walks on your own or with your furry friend, even though they love to laze around we all need to take a break during the day, get out into nature, it's good for you, (take your camera with, something unusual may be happening out there).
Drink Your Water Keep hydrated drink lots of fresh water, when the dogs finished walking we took water bottle and a bowl for them, they actually looked for it, learn from your dogs, take a few sips before leaving the beach or park. Water is good for body and mind, not tea or coffee, water will do!
Don't Be Afraid To Get Dirty -- Jump In! Don't over think it! Want to become involved, just do it. Like dogs on beaches or in the park, the world is filled with many games, some cleaner than others.
Shake It Off Shit happens. Whether you're caught in a physical or emotional storm or simply had to do something you don't enjoy, shake it off and move forward. For your own well being, move past it! Dogs really don't skulk or sulk for long, learn to get over emotional hurdles quickly, before they slow you down.
Good Looks Will Get You Anywhere Did your dog steal a chicken off the sideboard cooling? You feel anger flare up, eventually looking at your furry friend's startled look, big brown eyes gazing back at you for love and forgiveness. Learn from your dogs! Play up on 'cuteness-factor'.. it may get you out of difficult situations!
Don't Hold Grudges Know that crushed look that crosses a puppy's face when you say "NO" in a stern tone? A few moments later it's like they have forgotten. When we become permeable like a pup, we can experience our feelings then move forward. This way we can enjoy new moments, instead of reliving past pain.
You Tube Videos 2011 and 2013:
Life is no life at all if we are unable to learn from everything around us, thank you for visiting, please add your experiences into the comments below. From the first biscuit smelling breath lick to the day you go with them to take their final breath, they are my companions to the end, me being better for knowing them to enrich my life in many more ways than one.
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A truly great and inspirational post @joanstewart. Love the way you love your dogs and the values you get to share from your relationship with them.
The first dog that owned my wife and me as a couple, was named 'Jabu'. Short for Jabulani meaning rejoice or celebrate. He always knew where he wanted to be and had his eye fixed on that goal. He wanted to be with us, touching us by lying on our feet or against us. When he had to be outside, you would find him at a window staring at where he wanted to be.
Love these little guys, dynamite in a medium sized package, had friends with a couple of 'pitties' also fondly called "pig dogs". Neighbour has one named Woody, he climbs the wall to come visit (his mom taught him that 3 years ago), sits under the window to the room I work from and "talks...."
Arrived yesterday morning to see what was happening on our side of the wall and chased the mongoose away, I went to let him know he is a visitor, as are the mongoose, not to chase them.... Don't think he grasped my meaning and got slobbered for my efforts.
Thanks for visiting and have a wonderful cold day up on the highveld.
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that is a very inspiring ode to the pups. I just got a doberman puppy and he is currently teething on everything!! I think i am going to start taking him out more often so he can get acquainted with the world.
Getting dogs familiar in the area they live makes them more confident, yikes that teething period... be sure to buy good chewing toys. If you are able, we found hanging an old tire by rope in a tree gives them a great toy to play with when you hands can no longer take the needle sharp teeth.
Thanks for comment and enjoy your new little companion @masterroshi
Thanks for the advice, I think we will try the tire trick when he gets a little bigger. right now we have a bunch of ropes and rubber toys. He still seems to prefer chewing on flowers lol
Thanks for the advice, I think we will try the tire trick when he gets a little bigger. right now we have a bunch of ropes and rubber toys. He still seems to prefer chewing on flowers lol
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You have two beautiful ridgebacks.
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They made a handsome couple @tonygreene113
Lovely photos, and lovely post full of wit & wisdom. Thanks for sharing all of that, Joan.
Thank you for kind words and visiting @mepatriot
Beautiful dogs @joanstewart and some awesome life lessons that we can learn from our most loyal and loved members of our family.
All the dogs have taught something different, each being different personalities, thanks for visiting @jusipassetti
Dogs will imitate their owner`s behaviour in uncanny ways.@bon-nom
Some say dogs and owners 'look' the same, not too sure. They do tend to try to please us always @bon-nom
Lovely dogs you do have here...
Thanks @awosode
They were wonderful, @joanstewart!
With only 9 and 7 years they left you way too early. But from what I can see on the photos these years were wonderful for all of you and that's the most important thing!
Great post, beautiful photo - I'll check the youtube when I'm at home.
Thanks for sharing!
Steem on!!!
Five out of the six dogs I have had over the past 35 years have succumbed to cancer, it has been most upsetting losing them too young. This breed make twelve to fourteen years, yes it breaks your heart each time @pundito
love your dog!
Loved all 6 over the years @ziggypepper best companions.
We miss having a pet dog, and think it's time we get a mascot maybe a English Bulldog.
They are super cute...
Hi Joan! i love your dogs! they looks very big!! “Of course you can live without a dog - it just is not worth it”
Heinz Rühmann
Love having big dogs around , most probably just what I am used to.
I was afraid of dogs for all my life until I ended up living with a pit bull for 3 months. I was taking care of a lady 24/7 for hospice care and this was the dog of the house. I did not find out she was there until I was on my way to move in. I knew I would just have to deal with it.
Sugar turned out to be as sweet as her name and we became friends quickly. She liked to play catch but would not let go of the ball when she had it. I ended up wearing a hospital glove and reaching into her mouth to get the ball many times a day. This was quite an amazing thing for me to do at the time.
Now in Thailand "soi dogs" and "711 dogs" are everywhere and often roam in packs. As long as you do not bother them, they will not bother you. Sometimes you have to step over them to get to the atm or the door of the store. They do not care or more away as you do that.
You have some gigantic dogs there, Joan. They look friendly and fun to me now and a few years ago they would have scared me instead.
Glad to learn you overcame that fear, things happening in childhood can put one off.
Abandoned cats survive easier than dogs, sad to hear your abandoned dogs are packing for protection among each other @fitinfun
They are not really abandoned here. People feed them and take care of them. Each soi (alley) has their soi dogs. They patrol their territory at night, and sleep in the day. Once you are known or if you walk through nicely, nothing happens. But if drunks come by or someone is out at night causing trouble, the soi dogs let everyone know by their ruckus.
When I first get to anyplace they dogs check me out since I am out at night. But once they know me they only glance up. I have a jacket with a hood and one time it was raining so I had it on at 3 am. They all came running. But I took off the hood and they all stopped, looked and walked off. My heart was pounding, and I was so glad I realized it was the hood without thinking :)
So the dogs are looking after people of the area in exchange for food, a very good system to have and to learn about.
Excellent security considering they get to know you by smell allowing you access to move around feeling safer at odd hours.
Cute dogs and great lessons! The world would definitely be a better place if we all paid attention to that last one.
Animals can teach us some great things, if we learn to tune into what they are.
Beautiful dogs, you can see the love you have for them, it is the best thing that they are our companions, the love they give us, I have a poodle and it is nice to have it as a life partner
They all offer love one way or another, very seldom do they fail us, often it is humans who fail them.
Great post
I have two King Charles Cavaliers, they are my babies <3
They are beautiful @socialmediaseo
Im a dog person to. They are just adorable! Thanks for share
Have a great day @maryresp
hermoso post, yo actualmente tengo una mascota que se llama mateo, ha sido lo mejor que ha llegado a mi vida,me a enseñado a amar con mucha dedicacion, saludos!voto para ti
Gracias por visitar y compartir tu experiencia con los perros @luisapetit
Cuando era un niño yo tuve varias mascotas, mis hijos igual, al darme cuenta cuantos niños pasan hambre prefiero ahorrar el dinero que gasto en una Mascota para compartirlo con un niño si recursos, muchos de ellos no tienen para comer durante el día. pienso que esta bien tener mascotas, alguien debe cuidar a los animales que son parte de nuestro ecosistema, lo que no estoy de acuerdo es que su cuidados se han extravagantes, algunos hasta celebran sus cumpleaños, otros antes de morir heredan sus fortunas a sus mascotas. Según estadísticas hay 900 millones de perros en el mundo el 60% de están bajo algún cuidado domestico, si cada persona que tiene 1 perro, tuviera conciencia por lo menos ayudar a un niño pobre habrías ayudado a 500 Millones de niños pobres.
Estoy de acuerdo, tenemos demasiados yendo a la cama por la noche sin una comida. La gente se detiene en nuestra puerta todos los días en busca de comida, yo solo doy comida, nunca dinero ... las drogas / alcohol son otro problema. Un paquete de sándwiches, botella de agua y fruta para llevar con quien se detiene a preguntar.
Google translator used
what beautiful dogs, they are very well fed @joseleonardojose
A little too well fed @jos3lider I changed them to raw feeding later and found it to be a more stable diet, sorry I never learned about that earlier in life.
Sage advice and something to ponder.
I used to have a cat who showed up out of the blue one night as I sat on my deck looking at the stars and listening to the ocean waves crash. She scared the crap out of me by rubbing up against my legs and was very insistent on getting some love.
I was just sitting there thinking about signs that are sent to us and there she was. I was going through a rough time of losing loved ones, a few within a year, and the most recent was quite shocking.
Needless to say but I fed her and all of a sudden I was a cat dad and she gave me a distraction when it was needed.
What a wonderful way to be adopted (you got adopted not the cat) @the-witty-waiter
Cats have an uncanny way of knowing and befriending people, very seldom do we go away from home, staying somewhere when a cat will arrive to stay with us for the week.
The only reason I don't have a cat is due to very busy road close by, that is how my kitten was killed when I lived at home with my parents, I promised myself never to have a cat if there is too much traffic in the area.
We have many wild cats living in the bush along the beaches here, people feed them and take care as best they can.
Thank you, Joan for the wonderful story, timely life philosophy teachings, and well-written article.
A couple years ago I'd been thinking about getting a dog. I tossed around the idea and what my ideal dog would be good for me.
And, then a dog came to my house in the middle of nowhere. It was obvious he was lost, or worse yet abandoned. It took nearly two weeks to gain his trust enough for me to even pet him... But, once I did I took him into the Veterinary and had him checked, at which point they found a microchip in him and were able to contact a previous owner... that owner said they would be in touch... no one has heard a word from that person since then.
Anyway, under all the tick-infested, flea bitten dirty matted-hair, I found a gorgeous Cocker Spaniel. He is my joy and best friend.
When people talk about rescuing an animal, they have it right when they say, "Who rescued who?
note: if you care to learn more about Karl and me, you can read our story here
With a warm expression on that soft face it is no wonder it took awhile to gain trust, your words are so true.
Karl's a very good boy, and so happy... he brings me a lot of joy
Truth is though, I just can't understand how anyone could be mean to him...
Musta been a real sadistic... I'll leave it there
I still have to give Karl a lot of reassurances during the day, and he responded well to my being gentle with him all the time...
I think he's at peace now, and probably wouldn't do well in a noisy and active household...
but, we live a quiet life and we both do better because of it...
Here's a touching story about a dog you may enjoy Lady
If you scroll around some you'll find other dog stories.
Dogs are man's bestfriend . They are such a cutie @joanstewart. I hope I can also get these kind of dogs in the near future. I would love to have one . :) Thank you for sharing . :)
Once you settle and have a home a dog is a great addition to any family @joancabz
Beautiful dogs Lady Joan and well trained! Congrats. Blessings and upvoted!
I have never taken them to official training, treat like children, when stern voice is required it is used, they do get ears somewhere along the line just like my two sons - thanks for visiting @papilloncharity
nice dgg
Dogs are awesome pets. Their unconditional love for you can be very uplifting and healing.
They heal us more than we realize @uvas
Cool post my friend. I love dogs too, I had the most beautiful Pitbull dog, and he was the best dog. Unfortunately he died, and I still remember him as my best friend ever. It's so hard to forget these kind of feelings, but I know he's in a better place right know.
Thanks a lot for sharing this! I came from kryptonia :)
Yes our animals definitely affect our lives @acostajd
Your's dogs are so nice I like it
Thanks for visiting @touseefk
dogs are really amazing creatures and I love them. i have one and he is so cute.
Keep enjoying him @valedjiemedellin
Wow you inspired me lady joan! We had rabbit before but sad to say they died both pairs. We dont know why.
Never kept rabbits @rubelynmacion sorry to hear the died.
cute dogs.
Thanks @artchielines
very nice dogs! we only have local breed of cats and dogs.
Each region has dogs that have been bred for specific reasons, always interesting to find out what they actually been bred for, their purpose in life @croxdragnel
Hello @joanstewart !
Congratulations! Thanks for using the #dogsofsteemit hashtag! This post has been chosen as one of the winners for Episode 19 of the #dogsofsteemit challenge.
Can't wait to see more dog photos from you!
Thank you so much, after thirty-five years of having dogs in the house I will most definitely post again soon @supernovastaffy
Sadly many photo's are from the days of film, so will have to scan or photograph from old photo's.
Beautiful dogs, @joanstewart! Here is my Kane Corso Sayan:
Oh what a lovely big dog, looks so happy in the forest, thanks for sharing @irvet this specific dog breed not seen here in Africa.
Another beauty I will write about is the female Bull mastiff we shared our love with, she never grew big, had out-turned ballerina feet, a precious bundle of fur friend.
@joanstewart, this is an Italian breed of dog, in Africa it's probably too hot. I will gladly read :)
Yes I read up on them and found they are Italian dogs, short coat would be fine in our conditions. Apparently the breed was only revived in the last ten years when almost going into extinction due to not being used for hunting.
Family of Bull-mastiff, very sturdy dogs.