Doggone Etiquette —

Are You Okay?

By Bardi McLennan

A Word to the Dog:

How are you making out with all this crazy weather? Most of you probably just chalked it up to good old Mother Nature. For some of you without lights, the days got a lot shorter and the nights a lot longer. Now people have made that change official for everyone. And it’s cold! Dogs are pretty good at finding the best place to keep warm, maybe on someone’s lap if you’re the right size for it. That keeps the person warm, too. Just don’t go noseying up to any fire or you might get hurt by sparks. When the wind is blowing trees down, your VIPeople will keep you safely indoors because even falling branches are dangerous. Your people know all this, so be very good about doing as you’re told.

A Word to the Dog’s Owner:

We (and I do mean all of us – dogs and people) have had quite a start to winter, but we are certainly grateful for the speedy cleanup and restoration of power here in Newtown. To every one responsible – Good job! And our sincere thanks!

Between Sandy and the end of daylight savings time, a national election, plus a Nor’easter en route, it’s amazing that our wonderful dogs manage to stay cool, calm, and collected. The truth is they are able to manage most of it (well, minus the election) because they are in tune with the quirks of Mother Nature. Our job is to provide shelter, food, water, to keep them safe, and to at least try to remain cool, calm, and collected through all this chaos!

One of the most difficult things to explain to our dogs (and cats) is this human business of switching our clocks twice a year. Chances are Rufus did not think it was a big treat to have an extra hour’s sleep last Sunday, although he may well have been dozing off a bit earlier as the days got shorter. It’s sort of partial hibernation.

Apart from our weather problems of winds, downed trees, etc., there’s the walk in the dark that is a biggie for some. If you do have to walk the dog before or after daylight, be sure to keep him on a short lead, and make use of the reflectors available for yourself and for Rufus. Take along a small flashlight to keep both of you from tripping over those small fallen branches. School buses and trucks, looming out of the darkness, are terrifying to some dogs. If that’s your dog, be prepared to stop dead in your tracks and offer Rufus a quick distraction – a flashlight beam wiggling around his feet, and a basic obedience command to sit, heel, or wait. No treat required, just “good dog.”

Actually, that’s not a bad idea for this time of year – obedience training classes! Whether Rufus is a genius at doing everything he’s told, or a total dud when it comes to any or all of it, these classes are an indoor activity that will benefit you both. It gives both of you something worthwhile to do. Check with the instructor to get into the right class that’s a challenge educationally and socially, but not overwhelming. (That precaution goes for the dog and for you!) Then you can practice at home with short sessions mixed with a bit of fun, providing something mutually beneficial to do during the first dark days of winter.

It’s only the beginning of November, but who knows, Rufus may amaze you with his smarts by the time we get to all the really fun stuff like playing in the snow! In the meantime …

Just remember – BE GOOD!

- Bardi

Bardi McLennan bred, trained, and showed Welsh terriers for 30 years, during which time she wrote a monthly column on canine behavior in Dog Fancy Magazine. In addition to contributing to numerous dog publications, she has written 15 books on dogs; Rescue Me! received the ASPCA Humane Issues Award in 2008.