This is Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle. It is a new year. Yep, I turned my calendar, and there it was. 2017. Each day I get more handsome, and each new year, it is extra, extra handsome time. Need I say more?
The persons seem to think that because it is a new year, it is a good time to make changes. Although I think any day is a good day to make changes, not just once a year. That being said, I sat down with the persons and Deputy Digby Pancake this weekend to see what we wanted to write about for our first blog of 2017. What was something that we really, really wanted our fans to change in the new year? We knew what it was immediately. It actually has nothing to do with our Adventure Of A Lifetime, or travel or rescue. We feel it is that important.
Are you a true friend to your dog? It is a question I sincerely want you to think about. Because it is the first blog of 2017, I will do not be arresting, as law enforcement did enough of that this weekend. So no holding back here. Really. Stop. Are you a true friend to your dog? And answer honestly.
Even though Girl Person and Boy Person love us very much, and always have, we knew they didn’t “get it”. Persons are raised and learn that a dog should be under your command at all times. Sure, training is great for some things and for some dogs who need jobs to do. Also, certain training gives us self worth when we learn and can please you humans. But really. Would you ask a true friend to give up every ounce of independence or personality to fit into a mold? Why would you do that to your dog?
If you have more than one dog, you most certainly know that they have different personalities like persons do. For example. I like peanut butter and the Deputy likes pancakes. Nothing new there! Girl Person likes red wine, Boy Person likes white wine. Now, what if you made the persons drink beer every night? They wouldn’t like it.
A true friend knows your likes and dislikes. A true friend knows your personality quirks, your faults, your weaknesses, your strengths. A true friend doesn’t expect more out of you than what you want to give. So why are you expecting your dog to fit into your mold of what a “good dog” should be? Why can’t we just enjoy each other and live every day like it was our last, without worrying about every little thing? That is what the persons started to do.
Not every dog can spend as much time with his persons as Deputy Digby and I do. This trip and our lifestyle has certainly taught us about each other. And when we learn something, we feel we have to pass it on to our fans. That is the purpose of my blog today. I want you to ponder the relationship you have with your dog…with the furkid that you probably wish you could spend more time with. Your dog accepts you for who you are. We don’t have you on a leash, but you have us on a leash. And we follow you. We want to please you. But sometimes, we can’t act like a person. Because we aren’t a person. We want to smell things when we walk with you. We want to explore. We can’t walk a straight line all the time. It’s not in our nature. Why would you want us to walk a straight line? Would you ask your friend to only drive down one street to one place for the rest of his life? I doubt it.
So here are Digby and I’s suggestions to make 2017 the year when you become a true friend to your dog.
- Accept your dog. Recognize your dog’s personality and enhance it. Does your dog like to run? Take your dog to a park at least once a week. Does your dog like to hike? Get healthy together and actually make the time to hike. Does your dog like to nap in front of the TV? Cuddle. Wouldn’t YOU love it if your best friend made time to do your favorite activity with you?
- Talk to your dog. Yes, I am serious. Explain to us the reasons why we can’t do something. Explain to us when you are leaving and coming home. Talk to us like you would a friend. We understand more than you know.
- Give us some slack. We simply can’t be good all the time. We get upset, we get angry, we get depressed, just like you. Be understanding. We may have went through rough times before we met you. We may have scars physically or emotionally. Find a way to help us, whatever that means because you most likely have been through hard times yourself. It may not be easy for you. We may ask that you give more than what a normal person would. Please do it.
- Make time for us. We know how long you have been gone, no matter what those “studies” say. We may not have tomorrow together…because tomorrow is not guaranteed.
- Understand that we need you. We are completely dependent on you. We rely on you to feed us correctly and take care of us. We don’t want to be without you.
- Don’t give up on us. There will come a time that we get sick, or old. There will be a time when we need a friend more than anything. A true friend. Don’t leave us.
Yes, I know today’s blog was a little serious. But when something needs to be said, as Sheriff, I gotta say it. Being a true friend to your dog means that you will probably have a different relationship. Today, Girl Person tried to stop Digby from rolling in that horse poop on the trail, but she explained to him why he shouldn’t do that. She told him that it was too cold to get a bath. Now. Question. Did it stop him from rolling in the horse poop? Nope. But he knew what the consequence would be, and I suppose it must have been worth it to him. Will he remember not to roll in it next time? Certainly not. But that’s Digby.
Girl Person may look crazy to other people explaining to us the consequence of horse poop rolling. But who really are the crazy ones? Girl Person says who knows how much we can understand. But she feels in her heart that by treating us with respect, our family will be better for it. And we hope that our 2 Traveling Dogs family will be better for our perspective as well.
We hope that you will join us in 2017 as we finish our Adventure Of A Lifetime and as we see what path our journey takes us. We couldn’t do this without our family, friends and fans. And we love you all so much. Let’s have a great year, starting with today!
-Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle
P.S. The Endless Path is a great book to read for 2017 and inspired this blog today. Get your copy at https://www.amazon.com/Endless-Path-Laurie-Plessala-Duperier/dp/0991506863
Beautiful words with a beautiful message! I always strive to be a friend to Soldier, my senior dog, and Peanut Butter, Soldier’s pet cat. I hope that their last memories of our family will be that we were by their sides, loving them and understanding their needs.
Once again you guys said it all. Yes, we are friends and yes when they grew old and had cancer, we were their friends. I slept next to Babe on the kitchen floor for six weeks when she had Idiopathic or “Old Dog” Vestibular Disease. She recovered and the next week we found that her slightly swollen rear leg was cancer. For the next 11 months I stayed by her side and left her for 4 hours only twice during that time. It still breaks my heart but she held on for 11 months because she didn’t want me to be without her. To sad to continue this….