Do you ever feel like your dog is trying to tell you something, but you don’t know what they want? Spending so much time with the girls, I’ve gotten to know the “language” of each of them.
Addie has been very needy lately…
She’s always pawing at me and has been destroying her toys more than usual. She often walks to the door and just stares out the window…during the day or at night, for a LONG time.
I think she’s trying to tell me she needs to play more.
Working at home everyday has gotten us into a routine, but with the weather changing our routine has as well.
Ivy, has been a different kind of needy…
When I leave now, Ivy goes in her crate, since she’s been destroying the house while I’m out (as you’ve seen…). This week, she even decided to eat the rest of the Christmas gifts that were under the tree.
When I stick her in her crate, she looks away from me, and sticks her nose in the air…she looks guilty, and wont lay down or make eye contact with me until the crate door is shut.
Now, usually she is quiet, but if she knows I’m home, she’ll start whining like a baby. She doesn’t usually bark (unless she has to go to the bathroom), but makes noises that sound like she’s huffing and puffing…sulking that she is in there alone.
I think this is her way of expressing that she’s upset and lonely.
Together, they have taught each other a little trick.
They’ve learned that if I hear the noise, which sounds like one of them is about to be sick, I spring into action and run to them to make sure they’re ok (and not puking all over my rugs).
They’ve taken this and used it to their advantage.
Now, when they are ready to eat (whether they are hungry or not), they pretend to vomit. They also started doing this if I haven’t paid enough attention to them or if they want something that’s been taken away from them (like a tennis ball they’ve already destroyed).
They start making that noise – and I know you all know what noise I’m talking about – where it sounds like they’re about to puke. But for them, they aren’t feeling sick at all.
They’re doing it for attention and to get what they want.
I’m not sure if they’d actually take it to the next level and throw up, and I don’t want to learn. Whenever they do this, they instantly get the attention they were looking for and often the food or toy they were wanting as well…
I often wonder how they speak to each other. I understand they can learn things from each other’s actions, but they’ve taken that to a whole new level.
I have no idea how they taught each other these tricks, but they’ve gotten pretty good at them.
I always wish I could speak dog…
Today’s Lesson: make yourself necessary and you will always be needed. These girls have learned a lot about me in our time together. They know I’ll do whatever I can to make sure they’re happy. I’ve made them a priority and they’ve learned how to use that to their advantage. Humans will always be necessary to our dogs. As Ralph Waldo Emerson would say, “Make yourself necessary to somebody.” You’re their somebody.
#blog-35
