Thankful for Our Dogs and the Love They Give
Dogs have been living and working alongside us for centuries. The domestication process began during the upper Paleolithic period around 35,000 BP. Over the next 20,000 years, humans and the ancestors of modern dogs were living closely together and benefitting from that relationship. By the Middle Ages, selective breeding was in full swing. Dogs didn’t just help us hunt and gather and keep us safe. They were also our close companions. Today, they’ve continued to serve as trusty companions and helpers and have helped in ways our ancestors might never have foreseen, working with police officers and military forces, supporting our medical needs, herding and tracking, managing wildlife, and rescuing people and animals. If you struggle to imagine a life without dogs, you’re not alone, and most of us wouldn’t want to.
Heroes and Legends: Man's Best Friend
Many dogs have touched our lives in so many ways. Lassie, for example, is well-known for her life-saving antics, and while she might be fictional, doggy heroes aren’t just the stuff of legends. Guide dog Roselle helped guide her handler through Tower One in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, and to safety before the building completely collapsed. Trakr was another hero of September 11th, digging through the debris of the fallen buildings with his Canadian police officer handler to locate survivors. Heroics aren’t limited to the big pups, either: Smoky the Yorkie Doodle Dandy was a war dog that accompanied her guardian at several duty stations, including Seoul, Okinawa, and Australia, and she helped lay communications lines in the Philippines.
Giving Back: You and Your Pup
Whether your dog is a hero or a couch potato, it’s not hard to feel thankful for them during this time of gratitude. Americans own about 78 million dogs, and we’re happy to give back to them whenever we can. They give us consistency and routine and are always delighted to see us when we arrive home. When we’re with our pups, we can relax and be ourselves without feeling judged. So what if they snore? So do we! Maybe they left a mountain of fluff that clogged the vacuum. That’s okay. That old vacuum needed an upgrade anyway. Your dog is always there for you, ready to make you smile or to offer a comforting nose-nuzzle when needed, and they’re always up for a game of fetch and unconditional love. They ask for little and offer so much in return.
This Thanksgiving, we’ve got a lot to appreciate, but our pups might just be at the top of the list. Offer them some pup-friendly treats, like unseasoned boneless turkey, plain canned pumpkin, plain cooked sweet potatoes, fresh sliced apples, and cooked corn. After your meal, take a long walk and spend a little extra time letting them sniff. They'll be especially grateful for the opportunity. Finally, remember that you are the center of your dog's universe:
Happy Thanksgiving from our pack to yours!