And here's Sandy, caught without her make-up when the papparazi breezed by. (Hi Sandy!)
Brandy and Sandy are owned by two really fun people. These two St. Bernards are frequent guests here at the kennel and do well when they are here. They know what to expect and settle in comfortably.
The only problem I have is that before Sandy will go out in the mornings, I have to give her a belly rub. For most dogs, this involves maybe leaning down and scratching the dog's belly with three or four fingers. With Sandy, who weighs 165 lbs., it is nearly a total body work out.
Brandy has her quirks too. She greets me every morning not with a bark, but with a "woowoowoo!"
Same breed, same home, but two different personalities. One thing that keeps working in the kennel interesting is learning a dog's own unique personality. While some breeds exhibit extremely similar character traits, they still are all different.
People are even more complex. Sometimes I'm not as happy about trying to figure them out, however. It takes a lot more work and a lot more patience. Plus, I'm not getting paid to understand them. It's voluntary.
Much like the dogs, though, making the effort is worth the pay off of getting acquainted with someone. And while maybe I won't see that person often, understanding and patience goes a long way to furthering kindness and peace, even if it's for a moment. Yes, it's easier to keep people at arm's length and just "get through" an encounter. I'm learning that slowing down and really looking at a person can be a gift.
When are you most tempted to brush people off? When they disagree with you? Have a bumper sticker you hate? Have you chosen to believe the best in a person, despite all evidence to the opposite?
oh man. generally when i'm in a hurry. but also, i hate disagreements. sheesh. maybe i need to slow down and smell the roses even in disagreements. very uncomfortable for me. perhaps that's the very reason i should do it.
ReplyDeleteI think I would like some people better if I could lock them in a kennel run...however, I don't think that was the point you were trying to make, was it?
ReplyDeletenice one sue.
ReplyDelete