Friday, January 12, 2007

In dog years I'm getting close to 300

This morning I wasn't watching where I was going and ran in to my dog. I hit his head with my knee. He didn't yelp, but my knee hurt like crazy. I said, "Oh I'm sorry! Are you okay?" and patted him on the head. He acted like nothing happened and walked away. This kind of thing has happened before, and I always wonder if he knows what it means when I tell him I'm sorry. Do dogs even have to say they are sorry in their world? I saw another dog run in to my dog's hip awhile back. I could tell it really hurt my old dog, but he didn't hold it against the other dog. I think he knew it wasn't intentional. One time his best friend dog and he were playing and he accidentally hurt her. She had arthritis, and he must have been playing too rough. She lit in to him, and he went cowering away. For months he wouldn't look her in the eye, and if she came around, he would avoid her. I don't think either of them held a grudge, I think she just her in own way let him know who was boss. Dogs have this way of totally forgiving. You step on their foot on accident, they will feel hurt, but will turn around and let you pet them the next second. I don't know if dogs have long term memory, but I don't think they say to themselves, "Dang it! You stepped on my foot just the other day!" Once the pain is gone, they let it go. They don't hold the grudge. I think we have alot to learn from dogs.

3 comments:

deputymomof6 said...

This is true, to an extent. I had to give our new puppy a little swat for peeing on my carpet. A few minutes later when I tried to pick him up, he ran away from me. I have heard that if you have to do that, you are supposed to swat with another object besides your hand. They will associate the swat with that object instead of you, and associate the swat with the bad behavior. It was hard, I think he was more offended that I put him in my bathroom where his puppy pad is.

deputymomof6 said...

I meant is wasn't hard (meaning the swat.) He got a tap, but he didn't like it at all!!

Delirious said...

I just saw an Oprah the other day with an interview with the Dog Whisperer. He has some great tips on house breaking dogs.