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One of my part-time jobs is at a PetSmart's PetsHotel. At this hotel, each dog get his/her own "room" (unless they're siblings or the family wants them to be boarded together), which is a clean kennel large enough for most dogs to stand up in comfortably. The really big breeds, like Great Danes, get the really big rooms so even they don't have to crouch. There are also "suites," which are small rooms with doors and a television to play background noise for the animal. My job is, essentially, taking the dogs for walks in one of the playrooms (since we're an all-indoor facility), letting them relieve themselves and cleaning up after them. Of course, I also use those walks as excuses to play and pet the dogs, so I basically get paid to play with dogs, haha!
Anyways, there are a few regular "guests" whom I usually see on the days that I work, and I've realized that there are quite a few things that these dogs know about life that many humans have yet to figure out.
A good amount of those dogs have basic manners. Take Gus the Goldendoodle for instance. Usually when a dog is checked out of the hotel, the dog knows that Mommy and Daddy are here to take them home when us workers bring over their collars and leashes. Most dogs go crazy, so much so that there are times when a dog will escape from his or her room before the collar and leash can be put on. However, once in a while, we'll have a dog who'll be nice enough to semi-sit still. Gus takes it a step further. Not only does he sit down calmly, he makes me shake hands with him before he'll allow me to put on his collar.
Amos is a medium-sized mutt and is the epitome of patience. Because of his laid-back demeanor, he's in the small dog play group, and seems to take on the "big brother" role. He is never bothered by the little dogs running around his feet and always takes great care to avoid stepping on them. He seems to be entertained just watching the little dogs, and whenever someone from the store gets close to the window, Amos won't bark at them; instead, he'll go by the window and keep a watchful eye on them along with the smaller dogs.
There's also Lucky, a Yorkie, whom knows that family is a fantastic motivation to get over one's fears. For some reason, he was always terrified of the red slip-leads we use around the hotel to walk dogs to and from their rooms. His sister, Daisy, a bichon frise, was okay with the leashes as long as she got petted. Lucky visible shook whenever he saw one of the leads, and even tried to bite a couple of my co-workers when they got too close with one. Yet, when I took Daisy away from him to give her a walk for cooperating, he went frantic. We returned a few minutes later, and he dashed into the slip-lead and allowed himself to be walked to the playroom just so he could make sure his sister was okay. (For the record, he was fine using a lead to go back to his room as well after a few good pets under his chin.)
Dakota is a Rat Terrier, one of the smaller dogs in the facility, but a tough girl. She knows what she needs to do to stand up for herself and those she considers friends. Her room is a top kennel and allows her to be able to see over the half-wall that encloses one of the playrooms that I usually use for walks. Whenever a dog seems overly rambunctious (or just clearly not listening to me when I say it's time to go back to the room), Dakota is right there to back me up, yelling at the other dog until he or she stays still long enough for me to slip the lead back over their head. I heard she's even one of the top dogs in the morning play groups!
Then there's Wilson, a mixed breed who reminds me of an Old English Sheepdog. He's very proud of himself, and doesn't allow anyone to knock down his self-esteem. A bit wild, Wilson loves to play and talk. Despite disapproval from other dogs, he continues to be his charming, energetic self.
D'artagnan, a comical daschund, knows how important it is to just sometimes stay quiet and remain in the background, as well as including everyone in games. Generally, he loves attention, and likes to get the other dogs wound up enough to chase him around the place before claiming the human's feet as "base." However, there are times when he'll make himself scarce and sleep on top of the little slide in the playroom until all the other dogs are occupied. During that time, he'll come bursting out from the top of the slide, skid across the room, and take the best toy for himself. With the toy, he'd go and find the dog that had been sitting in the corner and invite him to play.
Perhaps my favorite inspiration, there's Lucy the Basset Hound. She's an older dog, over 10 years of age. She moves very slow, maybe due to arthritis in some of her limbs. She is also partly blind; one eye is all cloudy from being sightless, and I often wonder if the other eye isn't too far behind.
The best thing about her is that her tail is always wagging. Despite all her troubles, she's still able to be completely happy. She's never asked for anything other than a few scratches in the spot right under her ear that makes her hind legs start thumping the floor. I'm ashamed to be able to think of some people who lament over what they don't have instead of enjoying their life as it is. Yet, here's this old basset hound who, despite walking into walls and needing to use her nose and ears to see what is in front of her, always greets others with a doggie smile.
Good manners, patience, courage, confidence, spirit, friendship, and just being content with life are wonderful values that these dogs all freely exhibit. People may be able to teach dogs to "sit" and "stay," but I think the dogs have the greater tricks to teach.
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