“Bert here, in this weeks blog I am going to talk about the real side of sharing your life with a dog. Yes, we’re loyal, loving and absolutely the best thing since gravy bones… however that picture-perfect “human’s best friend” image you see on social media? Well, let’s just say it sometimes takes a lot of naps, snacks and patience to get there.
You see, humans love to post the happy moments, me gazing adoringly at my Dad, striking a pose in a meadow or heroically returning a toy in a game of fetch. What you don’t see are the bits in between, the 5 a.m. wake-up calls when I was a pup, the mysterious sock incidents, or the time I decided the vet’s waiting room was the perfect place to forgot my house training.. oops!
Puppy days
When we first move in, we’re like tiny furry alarm clocks with no snooze button. Sleep deprivation? Oh yes. Those first few months can leave you bleary eyed and wondering if coffee counts as a food group. And it’s not because we want to be mean it is just that our brains are busy learning where we fit in this new world, and that sometimes means testing out our voices at midnight or practising our zoomies when you were just about to drift off. Lets not even talk about teething and our little razor sharp teeth!
Rescue’s.
Let us not forget these wonderful dogs that you amazing guardians adopt and bring home. These dogs often need much more time to adjust to being in a new home. They are not ungrateful when they ignore that comfy bed you brought them, they may be used to sleeping outside, they may even destroy the bed as they have no idea what it is. Trust and connection takes time and usually a lot of tears, sleepless nights and a lot of “Oh what have we done”.
Adolescent antics
Just when you think you’ve got us trained or worked us out, we hit adolescence. Hormones join the party, and suddenly we’re a little more independent, a little more easily distracted, and sometimes a lot more “I know best.” It’s a bit like teenagers in fur coats. Our brains are still wiring themselves up at this stage, science says that impulse control is one of the last things to mature, so if we seem forgetful of our training, we’re not being naughty, we’re just under construction and a work in progress.
The not so glamorous bits
Life with a dog isn’t always cuddles and walks at sunset. There’s mud, so much mud, vet visits, the occasional chewed furniture leg, and the time you discover that yes, we can jump onto the kitchen counter when properly motivated (I regret nothing), walks in the rain and wind, sitting with us all night when we are unwell, the list goes on but you get the idea. But these moments are all part of the journey. Just as a side note, I often hear my Dad say “Oh I can’t as I need to get back for Bert” to get out of stuff he would rather not do or leave places early, personally I know it is just because he misses me.
The magic is in the middle
The truth is, the bond you see online isn’t built overnight. It’s made in the 3 a.m. toilet trips to the garden, the “oops” moments in training, the patient repetition of recall games and the gentle reassurance after a scary noise. It’s built in trust, consistency, and love-even on the days when your hair is a mess, your slippers are missing, and you’ve just stepped in something suspicious in the garden.(Sorry Dad, could not resist the Hair is a mess, you wish)
So, yes, we are humans best friend but we’re also work, commitment and a little chaos wrapped in fur. And trust me, the reward for sticking with us through the ups and downs is a friendship deeper than the deepest puddle I’ve ever rolled in.
Right, that’s enough honesty for one morning. Time for my walk and then a lovely nap.
Bert’s Tip: When things feel tricky, remember it’s not about having a perfect dog(We are already by the way), it’s about building a perfectly unique bond with your dog, and that’s even better than the so called picture perfect social media version.
P.S The awesome dog in the photo is my mate Marv and my Dad says that if he ever get lost he wants Marv to look for him as he is so cool at tracking & trailing.
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