Be Your Dog’s BEST FRIEND and Bring More Joy To Their Day!

Many of us pet owners have had the privilege of owning two or more dogs at one time. It’s the perfect situation as your pups have playmates when you are not around, and when you are home, the more the merrier!

However, just because they have each other, or in other cases when there is only a single dog in the home, they still look to you to be their very best friend!

Of course, we know by now how to snuggle and groom them. But how do we go the extra mile to become our dog’s companion?

The truth is they are going to love us no matter what. They adore us regardless of how much time we spend with them, but…if we could bring even more joy to their day, it’s totally worth it for both them and us!

So, how do we do this? Different dogs have different needs and wants. Some are satisfied going for one long walk. Others would rather a few short walks throughout the day. Then there are some who have discovered the luxury of going for a car ride and exploring new things. The adventurous types, the cuddle types, the ball player, or the ball hoarder! Some like hiking, others love swimming.

The trick is to find out which personality type your dog possesses and then treat them to it whenever possible.

With multiple dogs who have different wants, this might not be as easy but it still doable. They learn to adapt to each other and “go along for the ride” so to speak and do whatever the other one wants (most of the time).

For instance, my dogs Ginger and Lola loved to walk multiple times each day. Or at least I thought they did. When Ginger passed away, I noticed it was really Ginger who loved her multiple walks and Lola just kind of went along with it. She wasn’t as enthusiastic after Ginger had made her journey to the rainbow bridge. However, I still wanted to make sure she got exercise. I felt part of her reluctance to walk was due to a little depression, so to help cope with Lola’s grief, I decided to get her out of the house more often and discovered she absolutely loved the car. Then I discovered she loved the playground- including playing on the jungle gyms. In addition, she loved searching for tennis balls in the bushes. Not that she likes to fetch…she just loves finding them!

Whenever I get the time, I take her to new places to see if she likes it. The water, not so much. Hiking- yes please! Of course, it’s trial and error but each road trip winds up being fun for her and for me, regardless of what we do. I’ve discovered stores that allow dogs and places that don’t.

We all know dogs are man’s best friend (and women’s too) but there is nothing easier than being their best friend as well.

This holds true for dogs of all ages. They don’t need to be active to have fun if they prefer to be at home, or their age doesn’t enable them to be as adventurous. You can find activities at home that they like, such as getting them their favorite toys and sitting with them while they play with them. I’ve even heard some people say their pet loves television! Try new things and see what your pup responds too. They may simply enjoy a “spa hour” each day consisting of brushing their coat. Even training a dog of any age is a bonding experience and they do feel a sense of pride when they accomplish a new trick!

Being a dog’s best friend is an honor and spending time with them never seems like a chore. It’s the perfect way to take a break from every day monotony and spend time with someone who only wants to receive and give love the best way they know how! Who knows? You might even find yourself buying “Best Friends” T-shirts!

ELIZABETH PARKER – Author of Finally Home, Final Journey, My Dog Does That!, Bark Out Loud!, Paw Prints in the Sand, Paw Prints in the Sand: Mission Accomplished, Unwanted Dreams, Phobia, Evil’s Door and Faces of Deception. Available on Amazon.com!

A number of years ago we settled in Las Vegas to enjoy the weather, lower cost of living and semi-retirement. We purchased a home in 2015, and though in our 60s and with trepidation, since neither of us had ever had a pet before, we decided a dog would be a great way to “complete” our new domain.

We browsed through a copy of “Pet Scene” and saw a photo of a Chihuahua named “Celeste.” We instantly loved her amazing and expressive face. We immediately went to the Nevada SPCA. We were prepared with a “backup” plan if Celeste was no longer available. She was available. The staff brought her outside about 50 feet away from us. They said they wanted to see if she was attracted to us. Celeste ran from the door directly to us and jumped in our laps. We immediately fell in love with her. We petted her and talked to her and she turned her head to stare us in the eye as if she understood every word. The deal was done!

We noticed she was on the thin side and she had a scar on her lower lip. We also noticed that when we reached out to pet her, she cowered slightly. We asked about those things and they would only tell us that her previous owner brought her to the shelter because he thought she was “too needy.” She was already 5 years old, but being a mature dog, she needed no house or crate training. She also didn’t seem to be a dog that barked at everything she didn’t understand, which was something we were concerned about.