DIANNE’S DOGHOUSE
My Puppy Mary
“That’s my girl.” I often whispered this phrase to Mary to show my affection and admiration for her. Mary was a constant presence in my life whether in bed, riding in the truck or making her many Therapy Dog visits.
Mary was the first Ohio Court dog and was on the stand with her child who had to testify against their abuser. More children followed and she continued to absorb their stress one-by-one. She gave them confidence to proceed with the attorney’s questions.
She was so sweet that she became a social butterfly when in the public eye, so everyone she met just assumed she was perfect… but potty training wasn’t in her itinerary.
A Shih Tzu is the hardest pup to train because they get loved-on by so many humans that they think they are special and should be able to do or not to do whatever they choose. It was a little embarrassing to admit that it took three years until she quit peeing in the house.
Dogs understand living in the moment in a way that humans never will. We get so caught up in the past, but they do not. People hang on to everything. Even when the bad times are behind us, we still carry the hurt around.
Try as we might, sometimes we get so caught up in that pain that we convince ourselves that good times might never come—not because there’s nothing good left in the world, but because we think we don’t deserve it. This is my theory. So according to this theory, we should all be more like dogs!!!
I have had the privilege of helping humans train their dogs for many years, some went on to guide, some to comfort, some to assist in ways most people never realized. These pups watched over their humans like they were their whole world, responding to cues with quiet brilliance.
Dogs don’t just guide and support, they love! They support and love us through our toughest moments, teaching us to walk by faith and not by sight.
Blessings,
Dianne Hammontree
