Does Your Dog Talk to You? If Not.....Why Not?

Any dog owner will tell you that anyone can learn the language of DOG very quickly.  All you have to do is learn to listen. They enunciate clearly.  Having that type of relationship with your fur friend is also difficult because you always know when it is time for them to cross the Rainbow Bridge.  I believe they prepare us for their final good-bye.  

We have rescued more than two dozen dogs over the course of many years and it is never easy to say good-bye.  It doesn't matter if they were with us for a couple of years or close to twenty.  I dread the day each time as I realize it is getting closer.   But I will never allow my dogs to suffer by keeping them alive for my selfish reasons.  My dogs talk to me and if you are prepared to listen then you will be able to talk to them as well.

Rescue dogs make the best pets.  They communicate their appreciation of being rescued in a variety of ways.  Mostly you see it in their eyes but their actions speak louder than any human words.  Their constant need to have you in their sight or touching you while they sleep are a couple of ways they let you know how much they love you.  

If you take the time to listen to them, they will tell you about their lives and why they are so grateful.  When you rescue a pet, they often come without any written or verbal form of history.  You have to 'listen' to them to figure out what happened in their past.

We currently have two purebred mini Dachshunds, Star and Gunner.  When we got them they were six and ten years old.  They were show dogs who had lived in cages and rarely saw the light of day.  What we were not told is that Gunner, the male, had several broken bones from abuse.  They had been severely neglected and had a mistrust of humans.  

He communicated that lack of trust by growling when our feet came anywhere near him.  But this changed quite quickly as I held him, patted him, and then set him on my feet.  Eventually, he saw my feet as tools of affection and allowed me to rub his belly or his ears with my two feet.

He was also very protective of his 'wife' Star.  We believe Gunner took the brunt of the kicks and pain for her.  

They were in such terrible shape when the adoption agency rescued them they had to be put in the hospital for a couple weeks.  Then they recovered from their surgeries in a foster home for six weeks.  The day we adopted them from the rescue center, they had been driven there in a pick-up truck.  We were warned that it would take some time for them to accept us as they still had not completely accepted their foster parents - after several weeks.

I watched from a short distance when the tailgate of the pick up was opened.  Star saw me and took one leap into my arms without even touching the ground.  Gunner was so thrilled that she approved of me, he came running and jumped up and down until I picked him up as well.  

It was pure instinct for them to know I would love and protect them.  We have had them four years and Gunner is showing signs of age along with some health issues.  He cuddles closer and looks deep into my eyes with a sad expression.  I know he is preparing me for his future.  I pray he still has a couple years......or more!

Gunner has been hubby's dog and Star has attached herself to me 24/7.  She appears so sad whenever I pack my suitcase and jumps inside to let me know she wants to come along.

But the two of them are basically inseparable.  They eat out of the same bowl, they are always within a few feet of each other and Gunner washes Star's face and ears every morning.  They sleep in the same bed as they need to touch one another.  I shudder to think about how Star will react when Gunner leaves her.  

For this particular monthly blogging challenge submitted by Climaxed, I received the following question. "You wake up able to understand what animals around you are thinking, what they want and need, and how they react to you.  But it does not seem like they understand you.  What would you do with your new ability?"

I could not fully answer this because I know animals understand us and vice versa.  I believe that ability is available to anyone who takes the time to listen and talk to them.  I believe they have large vocabularies which are constantly broadening as we share our lives with our wonderful pets.

The saddest part of having dogs in your life is knowing that you will someday have to say good-bye.  If only they could live as long as we do.  We usually have more than one dog at a time, which does make that transition easier, but the pain is deep.  I still miss every single one that we have had the privilege of being their mom and dad.  I never met a dog I didn't like -- can't say that about people.

And most dogs have an incredible sense of humor
 I believe they love to make us laugh!

Several bloggers submit stories each month to this challenge.  I know you would love to support them and read their stories -- leaving a comment for them would be over-the-top appreciated

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Climaxed