Unforgiving Dog

I am rather new to doggie-hood.  I never really had a dog growing up, and it wasn’t until my son got out on his own and found Boone—the best dog in the entire world—that I started to understand the amazing joy that dogs can bring.  Boone is so smart and was so much fun in his younger years.

My daughter and her husband got a dog that was very different. Tonks is a much more high maintenance doggie, but very loving nonetheless. I don’t really like taking her for walks because she has her own opinion about which way we should go, but for the most part she and I get along quite well, and she is so amazing with my young granddaughters.

My husband and I have only been married a year. He had his dog, Sable, for over twenty years, and I was getting very used to her doggie-ways as well. Jon is visually impaired, and he moved to Ohio to be closer to me. As Jon’s vision began getting worse, I had to start doing most of the extra things for Sable such as baths and eardrops. I found her to be very stoic when I had to perform these tasks. She would just look sad, and stand very still until we would finish. When the job was done, she would prance and leap again, being the happy dog I knew her to be.

Now we have a service dog in the house. His name is Grizzly, and while he is mostly loving, I am finding that it is very hard for him to forgive me when it comes to the ear drops.  Even when I show him open hands and offer a treat, he will glare at me, grab the treat and not let me love on him at all.  This will go on for many hours after the ear drops, and sometimes even days. I am not used to an unforgiving doggie.

As I began pondering Grizzly’s unforgiving attitude, it seemed quite interesting to me how different these dogs in my life have been. I have always been quick to forgive others, and so it has been rather heartbreaking to have Grizzly turn on me so quickly. Just when I think we have built some trust again, his left ear gets inflamed and I have to start the ear wash again.  It makes me wonder how we teach forgiveness. I really don’t know how to do that.  I was born with a personality that wants to make things better around me. Forgiveness is such an important aspect in that process.

Grizzly will run from me most of the day today, expecting the worst from me (those awful drops in the ear!). I just want to love on him and let him know that I am trying to help him stop scratching. He doesn’t understand that I am helping him.

I wonder how many of us have lived in a state of unforgiveness when we really didn’t understand all of the circumstances? I wonder how many lost moments of fellowship have happened because of wrong expectations?

I am learning about unforgiveness from our doggie, but I want to know how to turn it around. 

I sure am open to suggestions!