After last week’s blog which was an intense one, I decided to take the tone down a notch and write something light. So, this week’s blog is light and probably funny (trying to be one😊)

Dogs are goofy; they are dreamy; they are crazy; they are many things among being the most charming species. While I knew having a dog as a pet would be one of my best decisions, what I wasn’t aware of was how obsessed I’d become with my pet, Joey’s, tiny quirks. His stretches, biting his tail, fighting with his toys, his funny yawn, the list is endless.

After laughing and smiling like I am completely lost in his hypnotic therapy, I decided to come out of it (temporarily) and talk about some of his quirky habits that just make my day better:

His ‘Different Looks’

Before I got Joey, I thought dogs have the same expression and there is nothing much to make any difference. Boy was I wrong! His Highness has many expressions; here are some of them:

• Puppy Eyes – When he needs belly rubs
• Judgemental Eyes – When I pass by around him when he is relaxing
• ‘You Owe Me Your Time’ – When he wants to play/pee
• ‘Joey Needs Food’ – Starts staring at us from 7:15 pm; his meal time is 7:45 pm

Sir ‘Chases his tail and barks a lot’

Before getting a pet, I used to wonder if pets get bored when humans are busy with their work. Well, I got the answer. Once, on a busy day, I was engaged in my work when I heard Joey bark. He normally does not bark at random times unless he sees another dog and wants to play. So, I went to check, and guess what? Our little quirky guy was chasing his tail and barking…at his tail! And the aspect that surprised me was that he caught his tail! Then, he was satisfied and went back to his calm self. What a guy!

Every Bark Has a Meaning

Trust me when I say this, I did not know that dogs have different barks. Well, who would even know unless they have a pet and get the first-hand experience of it? It took a lot of time for Joey to train his owners to understand his barks. Some of them that we have learned to decipher after a lot of training (and curses from Joey) are – his play bark, his pee bark, his ‘Why did you abandon me in this hell hole for 10 mins!’ bark, his ‘throw my toy so I can fetch’ bark, his ‘give me my food, petty human’ bark, and so on. Sorry, we are still learning.

His Request for ‘Seven Blessings’

This is a recent observation. We humans have to learn mobility and stretching exercises from dogs. I mean, they don’t care for the world, if they want, they shall take their sweet time for a nice long stretch and then tend to any business. Every time someone calls Joey or every time his favorite human goes to a different room while he is relaxing, he gets up, stops in front of the human, and does a full-body stretch for a good 5 seconds as if he is prostrating in front of the human and lies down. Here you go dear, seven blessings to you!

Trigger Words for Dogs and Humans are Not the Same

When we say ‘Trigger words’, it is generally associated in a negative sense for humans meaning that can trigger a negative emotion in humans and can mentally disturb them. But, trigger words for pets are different (and for their owners too). Have you ever observed pet owners asking you to not mention a few words in front of their pets because those words alert them, and they would run around the house and stand in front of their pet owners until the triggered emotion is satisfied?

Well, Joey has his trigger words too and we try to use them only when we are sure that the emotion is going to be satisfied. It is lovely to see his ears jump in excitement and looks at us with an adorable expression on his face that melts us.

Conclusion

Pets are simple creatures who spread happiness around them. We humans are complex creatures and amidst our complexities, if there is anyone who can remind us of simple times that we really need, they are pets. If your pet has any such peculiar qualities, do share them.