Katie and Dog Talk Therapy

Most dog owners think their pet is very smart.  My pup Katie is more than exceptional.  And so, when I found her sitting in my office chair working on my computer, I was not overly surprised.

What did startle me a bit though is that she had opened this photo and had enlarged it full screen.   She’s clever and can understand most of what I say, and believe it or not, she also has a form of telepathy that works the other way around.  Of course, I had to ask what she was doing and why.  The gist of our communication follows below.

Katie: Oh, this photo?  Scout and I thought you needed a little distraction – you’ve been a little grumpy lately.

Me: Well yeah, there’s a lot going on … 

Katie: We know, your TV’s been on CNN 24/7 – we thought Jake Tapper was a new adoption.  What happened to the lawn channel you used to watch so much?  All those guys walking around with a bag of sticks.  Don’t understand why they only toss the sticks occasionally?

Me: You’re right. The Masters has been postponed, probably all the other majors.  No March Madness.  And, while there may be no crying in baseball, I get a little weepy that it’s disappeared.

Katie: we get it – we’ve been watching it all with you. These are really very scary days for everyone.  You need a little distraction.  Why don’t we take you for a walk?

Me: Yes, let’s.  I have to say though I feel guilty distracting myself when I think about those heroes on the front lines in firehouses, hospitals, pharmacies, food stores, etc. Those who keep on keeping on, in the face of personal peril.

Katie: Did I hear you say fire hydrants?

Me: These are depressing days.  Our lives are completely disrupted. Did you hear that one in three Americans in a recent poll said that the pandemic is having a serious effect on their mental health?

Katie: That’s natural -- social distancing is not good for social beings, whether you’ve got two legs or four.  But don’t you think it’s all about finding a personal balance between stepping up to accept reality, and stepping back sometimes for relief in a little distraction?

Me: You are one clever puppy.

Katie: True.  Recall that I did pick you to pick me at the shelter years ago.  Do you remember how I calmly and continuously kept eye contact with you while the others were frantically wagging and barking?

Me: Ok, devious doggy, why did you open that particular photo on my computer?

Katie: Look at it for a while and tell me how you feel.

Me: Well that was an early cool morning at Eagle Lake up in Maine.

Katie: You’re telling me where and when it was.  How did you feel?

Me: I remember a feeling of absolute quiet and stillness.  Not a ripple, not a cloud, not a breeze, not a sound.  Like time had completely stopped.

Katie: Peaceful, right?  And now are you mindful – your thoughts are not so racing and jumpy?  Can you feel your shoulders dropping and your neck muscles loosening?  Are you aware that your breathing is deeper and slower?

Me: Wow.  You’re a canine genius

Katie:  Yes, I know.  Now let’s try and think of some of the visual cues that steer you to calmness when you’re taking photos.

Me: Ok, as I said, stillness.

Katie: What else?

Me: Ok I see what you mean. Well, I like to photograph things that are massive, long-standing, stable, enduring, predictable, ageless, infinite, endless.  Things like mountains, horizons, vistas, sunsets and sunrises, tides and waves. Still expanses, especially bodies of water, seasons, flowers, the sky and stars and clouds, the colors green and blue. Catching wild animals doing what they do, and close-ups of complex things and beings …

Katie: Whoa cowboy, very good.  Sometimes you just need a little help in focusing.  Get it?  Am I not too funny? 

Me: You and Scout do make me laugh.

Katie:  By the way, while you were busy in the back yard swinging those sticks, I put that photo and several others up on your website here:

https://www.charlesdaviet.com/katies-choices

 You might want to send them off to your pack — the pictures might give others a little lift.

Me:  Very thoughtful of you.  Thanks.

Katie: Sure.  Now let’s go for that walk.  Can we go into town?  Lots of fire hydrants in town …