And here we are … in the middle of the most unlikely set of circumstances, we could have imagined!

All of our lives have been redirected in some way these last weeks and we have all had to think a little about how to absorb these new changes…

Now, if you are someone who has a difficult time with change, these may have been challenging times. Eating different things, wearing different things and suddenly having to behave in an unfamiliar way with even close friends. The simplest tasks have had to be redesigned to accommodate a suddenly worrisome environment…

Well, most of you are doing a GREAT job of adapting and making the most of troubling times!

I see people gardening, cooking, talking to each other (even over a sensible distance) and coming together to brainstorm and offer support that is truly amazing.

So what does that have to do with our dogs? Well, if you think about how closely their lives are linked to ours, everything of course! When we stay home, our dogs are happy. When we slow down a little and are more present, our dogs are happy. When we are stir crazy and have to go out for a walk, our dogs are SO happy! Remember, this is the one friend you don’t have to wear gloves to touch!! And that makes both of us happy.

Our dogs can be a source of entertainment and growth, we can finally work on some of the behaviors we simply haven’t had time to address. We can enjoy a fun game of Frisbee or fetch in the yard. We can teach our dog to go to the fridge and open it to get a drink. We can practice a “heel” position a couple of times a day until we finally get it right! We can learn a new trick or two….and we can think about how to continue the relationship once the planet calms down a bit.

Wouldn’t it be great if this experience helps us get back to a more manageable life? Less stress, more focus on our living environment and more time for our dogs??

Remember too, that if you are not lucky enough to live with a dog of your own, our Shelter would more than welcome a volunteer or two to take one of their guys out for a non-contagious walk! Just don’t forget to wash your hands afterward and hand in the leash you used.

Sometimes Nature has a way of reminding us about the important things and lets us know that what we need can be as close the dog who sits beside us….

With gratitude to all my fellow West Virginians for their continued understanding and support….

– Janine Lazarus, HashtagWV #124. April 2020.