THINGS YOUR DOG WANTS TO TELL YOU

There are many times I often wonder exactly “what in the Doodle” is on Harley’s mind. He has so many different facial expressions, I just know he’s dying to tell me something. Do you ever wonder about the things your dog wants to tell you?

I stumbled across an article in Woman’s Day …

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And as I read the very first sentence “we like to ascribe all sorts of emotions to our dogs, but, truth be told they are much more simpler than humans.” I thought – this is probably true – however, they could pawbably write an entirely different article if they were to write one about Harley 🙂

It went on to state “a dogs behavior around his owners does have meaning. From the desire to protect you, to an intuition about your health and happiness, read on to discover what your dog would tell you if he could.”

Then they listed “9 things your dog wants to tell you.” So as I continued to read, I couldn’t help myself from wondering about the 9 things Harley would want to tell me.”

Since it’s the end of the week, let’s have a few laughs – shall we? Grab a refill of whatever your drinking, get comfy, and after you’ve read this, tell me if you’ve got a “Harley” in your house.

 

 “I want to protect you” 

You may think your dog belongs to you, but you belong to your dog, as well. That means he is going to claim you and protect you. Jennifer Brent (animal advocate from an LA based non profit animal welfare advocacy group Found Animals) says: “It’s not just that he wants to be close to you, he’s saying, This is mine; now it smells like me, don’t go near it.’ He does this for three main reasons: to feel secure about his place in your life, to warn other dogs that you are spoken for and because he wants to protect you.”

This is what Harley wants to tell me…

1

 “I can sense when you’re in a bad mood” 

According to Marty Becker, DVM pet expert at Vetstreet,com, “It goes without saying, when you’re stressed, they’re more stressed; when you’re happier, they’re happy. They match up moods with you better than a spouse or a partner.” 

This is what Harley wants to tell me…

2

 “I need more exercise” 

While exercise is important — “dogs should receive 45 to 60 minutes of physical exercise and 15 minutes of behavioral training per day” according to Dr. Becker

This is what Harley wants to tell me…

3

 “I’m scared you won’t come back” 

While most dogs are going to bark for a few minutes when you leave the house—just to let you know you’re forgetting someone—some dogs have a much more serious reaction. “If you watch a video of a dog with separation anxiety, it’ll tear your heart out. It’s like the kid lost at the mall without his parents,” Dr. Becker says. “They freak out. They think you’re not coming back.”

This is what Harley wants to tell me…

4

 “I can tell when you’re not feeling well” 

It’s a hard phenomenon to explain, but many dogs seem to be able to detect illness in their owners. “We know that there’s a chemical marker that a few dogs are detecting, just like they can detect bed bugs, mold, peanuts, drugs and explosives. They can smell the ketones on a diabetic’s breath when their sugar is low. For epileptics [about to have a seizure], they can alert their owner so they can get out of harm’s way. Some canines are even more naturally empathetic to humans,” Dr. Becker says.

This is what Harley wants to tell me…

5

 “Pay attention when I’m not myself” 

You just need to pay attention to your intuition. “That means noticing behavior that’s out of the norm: he’s not as playful as usual, he’s acting aggressively, he has trouble getting up or isn’t eating properly,” Dr. Becker says.

This is what Harley wants to tell me…

6

 “I need a routine, but with a little variety” 

They say that a dog’s mental capacity is that of a toddler; and just like a toddler, dogs thrive on routine. “Knowing what to expect is really, really important, otherwise they don’t know how to react. A general routine is best, but that doesn’t mean you have to do everything at the same time each day. In fact, varying the time will actually help in the long run.”

This is what Harley wants to tell me…

7

 “Be clear when I’m doing something wrong” 

Correcting your dog is important—and how you do it is key. Avoid explaining your dog’s behavior to him, or using a calm voice. Take a firm (not mean) tone and be direct. “Dogs respond to tone. If you say, ‘No!’ while a bad action is happening, you’re going to get a much better response than if you say it in a gentle voice or wait to say it afterwards.”

This is what Harley wants to tell me…

8

 “I’m not human” 

There’s no doubt your dog is part of the family—but that doesn’t mean he should be treated like a person. “Thinking your dog has the motivation of a person is the number one problem” says Gina Spadafori, pet columnist and executive editor of the PetConnection.com. So if your dog is acting out, start by trying to find the root cause.

This is what Harley wants to tell me…

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I hope you’re smiling, cause that’s always our goal. I only shared a portion of the article – it’s a good read, so check it out when you have a chance.

Have a great weekend, and don’t forget to come back and visit Harley & I here in Doodleville…

22 Comments
  • Sheila and Finnley
    September 5, 2014

    Only Harley can explain how it really is. He has a quick non jibberish point to make, and he does it well. As always I loved reading. Harley, you keep explaining life from a doodle’s view! Hugs!

    • Cathy Bennett
      September 5, 2014

      Sheila – that’s all Harley needs is more encouragement – BOL. It’s difficult now to keep him from taking over the blog 🙂

  • Amanda
    September 5, 2014

    Yes, I’m smiling! 😉 thanks for a great start to Friday! I wish I could attach a picture to share one of Wrigley’s “statements” but suffice it to say that I agree with you about how communicative doodles can be!

    • Cathy Bennett
      September 5, 2014

      Amanda, we would love to see a picture of Wrigley with his very own statement attached…

  • Emma
    September 5, 2014

    Oh that is so funny! Just love this post! Harley, you nailed it with how we feel and what our moms are doing!

    • Cathy Bennett
      September 5, 2014

      Emma, you and Harley are full of humor when it comes to sharing your feelings. Have a great weekend with your sisters!

  • Claudette Pope
    September 5, 2014

    Not only did i smile, I actually laughed OUT LOUD. Those expressions are priceless, especially when he tells you to use your “inside voice”, he’s standing right there. Oh my goodness, that is sooooo funny. Thanks Harley, you always brighten up my day 🙂

    • Cathy Bennett
      September 5, 2014

      Thanks Claudette, I cracked up a little myself (that sounds so sad doesn’t it?) Have a great weekend….

  • Ann Staub
    September 5, 2014

    Lol… Oh Harley, maybe they should hire YOU to write for them!

    • Cathy Bennett
      September 5, 2014

      Ssh, Ann, He already thinks he should take over the blog BOL

  • Beth | Daily Dog Tag
    September 7, 2014

    Harley sounds like quite the character. My kids joke that Theo barks at everyone who stops by because he doesn’t want another dog or human to look after. I think every scenario in Theo’s life makes him ask just one question “how will this affect my dinner situation?”

    • Cathy Bennett
      September 8, 2014

      🙂 Beth, I can’t imagine any dog not being a little concerned about their dinner situation! Theo sounds like a great deal of fun to have around. Will have to stop by a visit and learn a little more about this adorable pup of yours!

  • Neil
    September 8, 2014

    After reading that article and coming back to read this, its simply perfect!

    • Cathy Bennett
      September 8, 2014

      Thanks – I found the article interesting, wanted to share it, and I am so happy you enjoyed our little “spin” of humor sprinkled in it 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by.

  • Pamela | Something Wagging This Way Comes
    September 10, 2014

    First off, I’m thrilled that Woman’s Day published an article on dogs with such great resources. That’s awesome!

    But I must admit I liked your version better. 🙂

    I especially liked the picture of your two men looking out the door from the top of the stairs.

    • Cathy Bennett
      September 12, 2014

      Awwhhh Thanks Pamela. Your favorite photo is the same favorite of mine!

  • slimdoggy
    September 10, 2014

    Love this post…Harley is quite talkative isn’t he.

    • Cathy Bennett
      September 12, 2014

      Thanks Slimdoggy – Harley is is a lot of things, and talkative is one of his top three 🙂

  • Alexander Jacques Sabucido
    August 26, 2019

    We should be aware of these signs as to what is our dogs want to tell us.

    • Cathy Bennett
      September 2, 2019

      Yes we certainly should. Thanks for visiting, please come back again soon.

  • kalpana S
    December 27, 2019

    Very informative blog. Here I observed how dog wants to do some things to express their feelings such as It need more exercise and it wants to protect you, etc. It is very impressive. I like this blog. Apart from this article, I learned about the facts about hamsters as pets which have become established as popular small house pets.

    • Cathy Bennett
      December 30, 2019

      Thanks for stopping by.