Gratitude is such a powerful emotion; I love taking time to consider the things in my life that bring me joy and allow me to feel grateful. My dog, Jake, and getting to train dogs for a living are right there at the top of the list.
I’m sure your dog is one of the top things you are grateful for as well.
Last year I wrote a blog post about 13 Things Your Dog is Grateful for and I thought it made sense to update that post for 2021.
Researchers debate whether dogs can feel gratitude, but we pet moms and dads know they can. All it takes is a look at the face of a rescued pup when you take him home and give him his own bed and you simply can’t deny that dogs understand gratitude.
So, I unscientifically asked around to all my dog friends who want to share the following list of things they are grateful to YOU for! Dogs were able to add a couple of items this year due to the pandemic so I guess the old saying that every cloud has a silver lining is true.
So, without further ado, here are 16 Things Your Dog Is Grateful For This Year:
- That they have you in their life.
- The Pandemic because they got to see so much of you!
- The Pandemic because maybe you adopted them during your quarantine!
- That you feed them healthy meals that provide good nutrition and dietary variety.
- All the lovely treats you share with them.
- That you walk them multiple times a day and that some of those walks are their choice of which way to go and how long to sniff.
- That you provide them with a safe, secure and comfortable place to sleep.
- That you keep them healthy with regular veterinarian visits and wellness practices.
- That you keep them from getting lost by microchipping them and keeping them on a leash or in a fully fenced play area.
- Belly Rubs!
- That you support them to have excellent behavior by humanely teaching them what you want them to do by using rewards and never punishment.
- That you provide safe, fun and enriching toys and activities to keep their mind engaged.
- That you take time to be close to them and give them lots of cuddles and ear scritches.
- That you never raise your voice or hit them when they make mistakes or do something you don’t like.
- That you have committed to keeping them as part of your family for their entire life, even when they are old or it becomes inconvenient.
- That no matter how silly they are, you love them unconditionally.
What can you add to this list? Ask your dog!