Dogs
By Suzanne Alicie
We’ve all seen the stories of heroic canine rescues, and remarkable behavior of loyal and loving pets. We’ve heard of service dogs and rescue dogs, but what about the heroic dogs that aren’t trained in any way but still perform amazing intuitive acts? Some of these may not be newsworthy, but they are evidence of the intuition that dogs have, and how they use it. Dogs are naturally in tune with the weather, their surroundings, and the humans around them.
Nature
Dogs can feel and smell the changes in the air when bad weather is brewing, and if the humans pay attention to their dogs they may be better prepared for whatever is coming. Everything from earthquakes to tornados and blizzards cause dogs to adopt a pack mentality of gathering those they feel responsible for and settling in for safety. Our dog Bear can hear or feel thunder before any of us, and she begins to make rounds of the house. We can tell she’s getting nervous because she tucks her tail and constantly runs from person to person almost like she’s herding us. Once we begin to hear thunder as well, we know why she was rounding up the pack. She often hides under the bed or some other protected small space but she keeps an eye on us and will run out to check if one of us is in another room.
People Skills
One thing I’ve always stood by is the belief that if a dog immediately decides not to like someone despite being “introduced” and never having any interaction with that person, there is something about the person that the dog recognizes as a threat in some way. I’ve seen it happen with even the most amiable dogs – someone triggers some sort of defense response in the dog and it simply will not warm up to that person. In all the cases I know of, the dog was right.
Danger
Whether trained as a guard dog or not, all canines are loyal and defensive of their family and home. If a burglar were to break in, dogs will defend their home and family with their very lives. We may try to domesticate and humanize our pets, but dogs have a pack mentality and their people are their pack. They will pick up and carry babies if necessary to save them from danger in a fire or flood. Dogs have been known to awaken their owners by barking and pulling them from their beds when there is danger about. This natural intuition is what makes dogs ideal for being trained as service dogs and for search and rescue work.
Emotions
Dogs are more sensitive to our emotions than we know. Whether there is tension and stress in the house or happiness and elation, dogs will respond. When we are having a good time laughing and playing as a family, Bear usually gets in on the fun by running in circles around us, jumping and barking. She’s also usually the last one to calm down afterwards. If I’m feeling down or having a bad day, she seems to know and will sit beside me and put her head on my knee, or lick my hand. When one of the kids is upset, she seems to know where she’s needed and she’ll go hang out in their room with them for a while.
The natural intuition of dogs is a lot of the reason why they are called man’s best friends. While they may not be able to speak our language, dogs are empathetic, compassionate and fierce protectors who get the message across clearly without words. They are our pets, our friends and our companions. Around our house the dog is a member of the family. Responsible pet owners offer their dogs the same amount of protection and loyalty that the dog gives to the family, and do everything they can to keep their four legged friend healthy and safe.
Photo by Mike Ward
Read more articles by Suzanne Alicie
- Tips For Creating A Social “people Friendly” Dog
By Suzanne Alicie While some people prefer their dogs to be protective and guard their home and family, most of us would like our family pets to be social and people friendly. It can be a hassle and even frightening to worry about what your dog may do...
- The Best Way To Soothe An Agitated Dog
By Suzanne Alicie While most humans are accustomed to loud noises or crowds of people, dogs can sometimes get pretty agitated. During the summer there are plenty of noises and events that can frighten dogs. Fireworks on the 4th of July, family cookouts,...
- Dogs Are People Too!
By Suzanne Alicie If you’re not a dog lover, then more than likely you are a little overwhelmed when you visit the home of someone who considers their dog a family member. I encounter this regularly. It’s almost funny to watch how other people react...
- How To Stop Your Dog’s Excessive Barking
By Suzanne Alicie You love your dog, and you love knowing when there is danger or something lurking on your property; what you don’t love is when your dog barks excessively or for unknown reasons. Excessive barking is something that can be trained away....
- The Importance Of Play Dates For Dogs
By Suzanne Alicie You can take your dog for a run or enjoy a game of fetch in the backyard to provide him with much needed play and exercise, so why would you go to the trouble of arranging play dates for your dog? Don’t you have enough to do with...
Dogs
A Dog’s Intuition
We’ve all seen the stories of heroic canine rescues, and remarkable behavior of loyal and loving pets. We’ve heard of service dogs and rescue dogs, but what about the heroic dogs that aren’t trained in any way but still perform amazing intuitive acts? Some of these may not be newsworthy, but they are evidence of the intuition that dogs have, and how they use it. Dogs are naturally in tune with the weather, their surroundings, and the humans around them.
Nature
Dogs can feel and smell the changes in the air when bad weather is brewing, and if the humans pay attention to their dogs they may be better prepared for whatever is coming. Everything from earthquakes to tornados and blizzards cause dogs to adopt a pack mentality of gathering those they feel responsible for and settling in for safety. Our dog Bear can hear or feel thunder before any of us, and she begins to make rounds of the house. We can tell she’s getting nervous because she tucks her tail and constantly runs from person to person almost like she’s herding us. Once we begin to hear thunder as well, we know why she was rounding up the pack. She often hides under the bed or some other protected small space but she keeps an eye on us and will run out to check if one of us is in another room.
People Skills
One thing I’ve always stood by is the belief that if a dog immediately decides not to like someone despite being “introduced” and never having any interaction with that person, there is something about the person that the dog recognizes as a threat in some way. I’ve seen it happen with even the most amiable dogs – someone triggers some sort of defense response in the dog and it simply will not warm up to that person. In all the cases I know of, the dog was right.
Danger
Whether trained as a guard dog or not, all canines are loyal and defensive of their family and home. If a burglar were to break in, dogs will defend their home and family with their very lives. We may try to domesticate and humanize our pets, but dogs have a pack mentality and their people are their pack. They will pick up and carry babies if necessary to save them from danger in a fire or flood. Dogs have been known to awaken their owners by barking and pulling them from their beds when there is danger about. This natural intuition is what makes dogs ideal for being trained as service dogs and for search and rescue work.
Emotions
Dogs are more sensitive to our emotions than we know. Whether there is tension and stress in the house or happiness and elation, dogs will respond. When we are having a good time laughing and playing as a family, Bear usually gets in on the fun by running in circles around us, jumping and barking. She’s also usually the last one to calm down afterwards. If I’m feeling down or having a bad day, she seems to know and will sit beside me and put her head on my knee, or lick my hand. When one of the kids is upset, she seems to know where she’s needed and she’ll go hang out in their room with them for a while.
The natural intuition of dogs is a lot of the reason why they are called man’s best friends. While they may not be able to speak our language, dogs are empathetic, compassionate and fierce protectors who get the message across clearly without words. They are our pets, our friends and our companions. Around our house the dog is a member of the family. Responsible pet owners offer their dogs the same amount of protection and loyalty that the dog gives to the family, and do everything they can to keep their four legged friend healthy and safe.
Photo by Mike Ward
Read more articles by Suzanne Alicie
- Tips For Creating A Social “people Friendly” Dog
By Suzanne Alicie While some people prefer their dogs to be protective and guard their home and family, most of us would like our family pets to be social and people friendly. It can be a hassle and even frightening to worry about what your dog may do...
- The Best Way To Soothe An Agitated Dog
By Suzanne Alicie While most humans are accustomed to loud noises or crowds of people, dogs can sometimes get pretty agitated. During the summer there are plenty of noises and events that can frighten dogs. Fireworks on the 4th of July, family cookouts,...
- Dogs Are People Too!
By Suzanne Alicie If you’re not a dog lover, then more than likely you are a little overwhelmed when you visit the home of someone who considers their dog a family member. I encounter this regularly. It’s almost funny to watch how other people react...
- How To Stop Your Dog’s Excessive Barking
By Suzanne Alicie You love your dog, and you love knowing when there is danger or something lurking on your property; what you don’t love is when your dog barks excessively or for unknown reasons. Excessive barking is something that can be trained away....
- The Importance Of Play Dates For Dogs
By Suzanne Alicie You can take your dog for a run or enjoy a game of fetch in the backyard to provide him with much needed play and exercise, so why would you go to the trouble of arranging play dates for your dog? Don’t you have enough to do with...