The look. The trusting loving look that my dogther, Cricket, just gave me as she was laying on her back, half asleep on her super comfy bed.
That look warms my heart and lifts my spirit to such a state of gratitude.
I can still remember the first time I saw Cricket. We were in an animal shelter in LA and I already picked up a few dogs for my non-profit program with war veterans. But something in me told me to do another round, and there she was, looking like a scared little Snoopy. She was covered in poop and cowering. The sadness in her eyes, the look of no hope broke my heart. Without thinking about it I said “I want this one too”, and as soon as her cage (with 3 other doggies) opened up, I scooped her into my arms, poop and all, to comfort her. It’s been 6 years, and Cricket is the most amazing angel I could have ever asked for.
You can’t get looks of deep trust and immense gratitude without being there for your Doggie.
I often work with powerful and super busy people in the entertainment industry. They want the Look of love from their dog before doggy day care in Santa Monica, but they have not earned it.
“I used the same command you used, but my dog didn’t respond,” I was told yesterday by such a client. “I know that he knows that command,” he complained.
“Just imagine that a person that you see from time to time in the elevator of your building, one day walks into your office and tell you, ‘Write this email for me,’” I said. “You will understand his words, but since you have no relationship with that person you’ll see no reason to comply. That’s how your dog feels when every so often you show up and tell him what to do.”
When someone gives you their heart, you must honor it as the most sacred part of them. Be gentle and be respectful. Dogs, give us their hearts with no hesitations, and unfortunately, many men have mistreated that exceptional gift. The trust was there on a loan from our dogs, but so many dogs have withdrawn that trust.
All of us that take a rescue dog in, our job, which is a spiritual job really, is to restore that trust. Restore that look. The Look!
When my dog looks at me that way, she’s grateful that I wasn’t harsh with her when she chewed many pairs of shoes and when she peed only in the wrong places. That I loved on her when she puked on my carpeting because I knew that making her feel better was more important than my carpet, and that I don’t force her to be with dogs that she doesn’t like.
My dog feels that I see her. That I get her. That I’m committed to her.
That’s what every child, dog, and adult human wants.
I believe that we must catch ourselves at those times when our anger is justified. Because even when we are right, if we lose it and make anything, anything at all more important than our beloved dog (or child or friend, or significant other), we will break that trust. We will communicate to them that mistakes are not accepted. And we’ll never get that intense look of “that kind of thank you for loving me despite everything.”
Once again, I believe that dogs put a mirror in front of us where we can look and ask ourselves what kind of person we would want to be?
I’m committed to try and remember to put Love before being Right.
I’m grateful that I can contribute to another being getting to experience peace. To experience what is to be loved unconditionally by me.
We all want a dog to love us unconditionally, but do we love them that way?
