July 22nd, 2010
“What’s on Your Dog’s Mind?”
by Susan Hill
http://www.canineminds.com
Who Wants to Hear the Truth?
I was at the Laurel Canyon Dog Park yesterday with my 9 year old Doberman, Jody. After a 45-minute romp we decided to head home. While getting in the car a woman with two mixed-breed dogs asked me if I had a biscuit. I replied, "No. Why?" As she emphatically said, "Because I usually give my dogs a biscuit so they’ll get in the car," her two dogs emphatically refused to budge. They stood there motionless like two marble statues, pillars of defiance. As I assessed whether or not to show her about how an alpha creates followers and the desired behavior for her dogs, I concluded she just didn't want to hear the truth.
And who wants to hear it? Really? Who wants to be told that they aren't cutting the mustard? That their efforts are subpar, substandard and that their dog has all the power in the relationship? Who wants to hear that?
Or what about when you're at work and customers lie to you swearing they like what you've done servicing them and then proceed to write a nasty email behind your back ripping you to shreds to your boss? Who wants to hear that?
Or how about your ever increasing explosion of grey hairs sprouting left and right or the sagging skin, the plethora of facial wrinkles or your inability to find a dress that DOESN'T make your ass look fat? NOOO... NOBODY wants to hear the truth about that.
Or how about your partner telling you they aren't happy because you put work first and everything else and they're sick of your shit and they’re leaving. God, who wants to hear that?
Let's face it: the truth is painful and everybody would rather go on telling themselves that what they are doing is working despite what the world around them tells them. After all it's so much easier to stick your head in the sand and pretend things are hunky dorey. The truth is painful. And who wants to hear it? Nobody.
I think if we are to face ourselves and wake up from our deep slumber that we are lying to ourselves maybe we can begin helping our dogs. The truth means being honest…honest with ourselves and our dogs.
Susan Hill 949 309 0808