A Dog's Love (Train pt 4)

I have to say, even though I have only been gone for a little over a week, I believe that this trip will be beneficial.  Perhaps this is just the rationalizing of a mind that realizes that giving up a comfortable job to pursue the unknown is more than a little crazy but, even in the short time I’ve been gone I have learned and been reminded of some simple truths that make any life feel more full.

Greeted at the door at 6am by the beautiful smiling face of Kelley and her “vicious” guard dog Pearl, I immediately became thankful for friends.  Though I would like to imagine that I am a good houseguest, putting anyone up for a week is a kindness greater than most.   Thankfully I was able to, at least in part, repay them by taking care of their dog during their jaunt to sunny San Diego for a friend’s engagement party.

Now I know what you are thinking, that being left in charge of a snuggle whore like Pearl while having free reign of a house meant that I got what is, by far, the better end of the bargain, and I have to readily agree.  The best part is that Pearl shares my love of the outdoors and wanted nothing more than to go off on long hikes every day.

When I say that Salt Lake is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, know that I do not use those words loosely.  Within five minutes of leaving their downtown front door, we were parking at the trailhead to the snow capped foothills of the Wasatch Mountains.  From here it is a short ten minutes before one can be lost wandering in and out of vast trails, searching for rumored “living room” chairs made of fallen slate or 25 foot towers perched high atop peaks of one of the countless mountains.

In my life, I have been around my fair share of dogs and I can honestly say that very few are as ideal as a companion as Pearl.  Sharing my love of all things outdoors surely helps, but it was more this brown and white bundle of energy and tail wagging’s ever present desire to love and obey that made her so great.  She would have made one hell of a 20’s housewife.

There is a LOT to be said about training a dog the right way.  Far too many dogs get a bad rep solely because their owners don’t do a good enough job teaching a dog right from wrong.  Due to this, too many dogs are labeled as difficult or poorly mannered when all a dog wants is to love and to play. 

From birth, this is what a dog is hardwired to do.  I cannot think of any other animal that possesses the same level of unconditional love.  Grab a ball and you’ll have a friend for life.  

Yet we punish or yell at these same animals for dropping that slobbery ball at our feet when we aren’t on a walk or for whining when they see us leaving the house without them.  How is this fair?

The saddest part is that it doesn’t take much more than a little time and patience, mixed in with consistency, to make any dog obey.  If you cannot see putting your dog ahead of yourself, especially after you have left them home alone all day, get a turtle.  A dog is not there solely for your amusement.  They are not the tv, ready to be turned on or off at your whim.  Dogs need to play, they need to be loved, they need companionship.  Even after a brutal day at the office, where all you want to do is pour a drink and take off your shoes, your dog has to come first.  

Take the time to train your dog the right way.  Give them consistent messages about desired behavior, proper punishment for momentary lapses, and treats and affection as reward.  Don’t allow your mood to dictate how you treat your pet, they are there because YOU chose to have them around.  Show them that you made the right choice and that you love them half as much as they love you.

Leaving Salt Lake, I thought more than once about trying to smuggle Pearl away in my backpack, but the thought of the revenge enacted by Kelley and Lewis, as well as the massive deuces sure to be dropped by the factory that is her digestive system, brought me to my senses. 

I am very thankful for loving, considerate, hard working and intelligent friends.  Without them my stay would have been far less enjoyable, comfortable or full of endless entertainment.