Spending a huge chunk of my time surrounded by dogs to the point that I would consider some of my best buddies to be those of the four legged variety, I often wonder what goes on inside their heads.
They are incredible animals and though some are more intelligent than others, they all have their perks and individual personalities that we love.
No matter how long you leave a dog, they are so happy to see you. Whether it’s been a five minute trip outside to the dustbin or a four hour lunch date with a friend, they are always so excited on your return and this is one of the things that I love the most. As you enter the house they will be sure to come running up to you with only happiness showing from their beaming body language.
When you’re chilling of an evening and everything is calm, they often give each human an equal amount of lap time – as long as they like you that is – and they cuddle up to you making you feel so loved as they are.
Their intelligence amazes me and you often see on documentaries how clever dogs can be. I find sniffer dogs and guide dogs incredible, as well as the power that they have to sense your mood and if ever you’re sad they will certainly know and do anything in their power to comfort you.
I often walk with a friend and a collection of dogs. The times one has ran that bit too far for our liking and that bit too fast for us to catch it, usually confused having lost us, and we have sent the other dogs to bring the lost one back, they have done. Effortlessly.
I have friends who tell me that they spend a lot of time alone due to shift work or such like yet they never feel alone at all when their dog is around. I have people who tell me how much their dog helped them through a significant loss in the family or the discovery of a terminal illness. In fact, everything you hear about dogs is fabulous.
You only have to watch Super Vet to witness this precious bond that we have built with these amazing animals. The things that he is able to do to help the most horrific injuries and the determination that the dogs have to continue living. I have seen dogs with spinal injuries on the show that even Noel Fitzpatrick is questioning whether they’ll survive and they often do, amazingly.
But one of the best things that I love about them is that they can’t talk which leaves you wondering what goes on inside that small head. I know many owners have full blown conversations with their pups and I love to think that they’re replying and actually saying the things that their owner says for them.
I could watch dogs all day making up in my mind what is going on in theirs. I love that they all have their own personalities and I really hope that their barks at dogs across the road is actually a “see you in the park mate” as we humans would say “see you in the pub”.
For now I can only imagine, but maybe one day we will know what goes on inside a dogs mind.