Here in this house

This was posted on www.Championofmyheart.com, a blog I read often. The blog is written by a woman in Colorado who has a dog with fear issues and how she works with her to help her deal with her fear and feel safer in the world.

This poem touched my heart because Spot, who was my first dog of my own, was a shelter dog. I adopted Spot from the Animal Rescue League in Brewster, MA 7 years ago, when he was just about the same age Shelby is now, which kind of blows my mind when I think about the way he was when I got him as compared to Shelby now. He was very bossy, barking at me all the time to try and get what he wanted. He still does that occasionally, but I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say clicker training changed my life and his. I could see the lightbulb go off when he realized we could communicate with each other and not at each other. He's not as operant as Shelby, who started clicker training at 8 weeks, but he loves to work and use his brain. I definitely see the differences in my dogs when compared to some friends' dogs who were not clicker trained.

HERE IN THIS HOUSE

Here in this house... I will never know the loneliness I hear in the barks of the other dogs 'out there.' I can sleep soundly, assured that when I wake my world will not have changed. I will never know hunger, or the fear of not knowing whether I'll eat. I will not shiver in the cold, or grow weary from the heat. I will feel the sun's heat, and the rain's coolness, and be allowed to smell all that can reach my nose. My fur will shine, and never be dirty or matted.

Here in this house... There will be an effort to communicate with me on my level. I will be talked to and, even if I don't understand, I can enjoy the warmth of the words. I will be given a name so that I may know who I am among many. My name will be used in joy, and I will love the sound of it!


Here in this house... I will never be a substitute for anything I am not. I will never be used to improve peoples' images of themselves. I will be loved because I am who I am, not someone's idea of who I should be. I will never suffer for someone's anger, impatience, or stupidity. I will be taught all the things I need to know to be loved by all. If I do not learn my lessons well, they will look to my teacher for blame.

Here in this house... I can trust arms that hold, hands that touch... knowing that, no matter what they do, they do it for the good of me. If I am ill, I will be doctored. If scared, I will be calmed. If sad, I will be cheered. No matter what I look like, I will be considered beautiful and known to be of value. I will never be cast out because I am too old, too ill, too unruly, or not cute enough. My life is a responsibility, and not an afterthought. I will learn that humans can almost, sometimes, be as kind and as fair as dogs.


Here in this house... I will belong. I will be home.