Many times, rescued dogs appreciate familiarity and predictability. Truly *rescued* dogs haven't just been rehomed; they've been saved from bad circumstances. Abusive homes are notoriously unpredictable and volatile. Neglectful situations leave their own, different scars. Both of those are soothed by the predictability of a loving home. Regular meal times with familiar foods. Predictable reactions within the family. No sudden blows, no raised voices, no punishments just for being a dog.
Last night, Nicki and I went out for our evening walk. It's a small town, and our walking opportunities are limited by the geography of a one-stoplight-town with very few discernible "blocks". I've been letting Nicki choose our course lately in the hope that makes it more enjoyable for her. Last night I wanted to start in a slightly different direction. Basically one of our usual routes, but with a slight variation. That slight variation took us toward an area where we ordinarily finish the walk and head for home. To my surprise, Miss Nicki got to that point and began to follow our usual route - in reverse! She went the way we're used to walking, but - leading the entire way - she walked the route in reverse, then simply headed home.
Well! She knows the walking routes so well that she can take the initiative to change it up a little! Great! Three cheers for predictability!
Then she did something relatively new. If we come home with a little bag of poo, she now walks directly to the trash can in the yard, pauses in front of it, looks up at me, and waits for me to dispose of the bag. Then she leads the way into the house. HER house. Because she's home, and she loves home.
With all this toileting trouble and the diuretic meds, she's doing something else that is completely new to me. I never had a dog try to drink from the toilet bowl before! Luckily, I believe strongly in sanitation but - sheesh!! That is a new trick I could do without!
No comments:
Post a Comment