It's All How You Wag Your Tail!
Clicquot resting after a fun dog park adventure.
I've been spending time at the dog park. My six-month-old puppy, Clicquot, loves to chase and be chased by other dogs, and my 9-year-old dog, Gatsby, isn't interested. So at the park, Clicquot runs and runs while Gatsby catches the frisbee over and over and over.
Here is what I've learned so far from the dog park:
Greet everyone when they come into the park. A warm welcome and a quick sniff makes newcomers feel welcome.
Join in the chase, but don't get your feelings hurt if you're left behind.
Setting limits is necessary. Growling helps.
You might get nipped if you don't respect others' boundaries.
If you forget your frisbee, don't try to steal someone else's.
Your ranking in the pack is fluid, roll with it.
People should try to live by these rules too.
We run into problems when we don't pay attention to similar unspoken rules:
If we're unsure if we're welcome, we wait for others to offer a warm greeting.
We don't take the time to understand personal rules or boundaries.
Few of us accept correction gracefully.
We sometimes steal other people's ideas or credit.
Most of us work hard to protect our social standing.
We have a lot to learn from the dogs! What I noticed most at the dog park is that the dogs have fun.
They come in with a goal and the dog park rules help them reach their goals. The young ones run, chase, and play. Middle-aged dogs keep things running smoothly by leading small groups and maintaining order. Loner dogs, like Gatsby, want to catch a frisbee or a ball and be admired for their skills.
Dogs pursue their goals despite growls, rebuffs, or being ignored. They will ping pong from dog to dog, from one end of the park to the other, to find their kind of fun. Dogs do not let embarrassment or shame deter them.
Clicquot will try dog after dog until he finds one who wants to play chase. He doesn't care if it takes ten tries! Frisbee envious dogs will hover near Gatsby, patiently waiting for an opportunity to steal his frisbee.
What could we accomplish if we lived by dog park rules? How would our days improve if we warmly welcomed everyone and let slights roll off our backs? What if we continued to search until we found someone who shares our goals? How much would we grow if we accepted corrections gracefully? How bold would we be if we had no sense of embarrassment or shame?
We'd accomplish that much more before going home for a nice nap.