Hello to all! This is another entry from Bark Place. I feel like I should start with a bit of a disclaimer: All of my previous entries (and most likely future entries) have been about things that I have learned from dogs. It is not that I dislike other animals, but one of the first rules of writing is to write what you know. Seeing as I spend almost every waking hour with dogs, they are what I know and thus what I write about. Keep in mind that these lessons can be learned from any animal, I just relate them to dogs given my role in the ARL. SO, with that said….here we go!!
I have realized something over the past few years: Being in your mid-twenties is kind of like being a teenager all over again. There are so many things that happen that make you question your place in life, your place in the world, and all too often you find yourself thinking “what am I doing with my life?!” While I suspect that this is a question that is not regulated to teenagers and twenty-somethings, I must stick to my own rule about writing what you know (for the record, I am 26.) It seems to me like your twenties are full of events that are designed to remind you that you are not a kid anymore. They can be major events like the when the first of your friends gets married, the first of your friends has kids, the first lease you sign, and the first car you buy on your own. Or they can be minor events like the first Will Farrell movie you saw that you did not find funny (Semi-Pro anyone?), the first Friday night you spent drinking hot chocolate and watching Tivo’d episodes of Jeopardy without feeling the least bit lame, or the first time you walked into Abercrombie and Fitch and saw nothing that you would even consider wearing. Whatever the event may be, it can often leave you wondering “am I too young to be doing this?” Then, of course, there is the other side of the coin. There are also moments when you can feel as though you are being pushed into adulthood kicking and screaming. Recently, I had a night where all I did was get together with some friends, play video games, and eat junk food. While I truly enjoyed myself, I kept having déjà-vu to when I was 13 years old and doing almost the exact same thing. The only things that changed were we were in a house instead of my parents’ basement, the Xbox had replaced the Super-Nintendo, the junk food now gave me epic heartburn, and there was a question in my mind that had not been there 13 years ago; “Am I too old to be doing this?”
I find more and more as I get older that I am behaving a certain way and doing certain activities not because I want to or enjoy them, but because society has decided that this is what people my age are supposed to do. A recent example of this comes to mind. A few months ago I was involved in a pseudo-serious relationship. For better or worse, this is not the case anymore. However, while we were dating, I got roped into doing a lot of “couples” activities. Game nights, dinner cruises, and couples outings to sporting events, Broadway shows, etc. Like any good boyfriend, I usually just smiled and made small talk while waiting for the sign that it was ok to leave. There was one night, however, that I made the biggest mistake a man in a relationship can make…I asked a question. While we were getting ready to go to a wine and cheese tasting, I uttered the five words that can make or break any evening; “Why are we doing this?” Now, I must state some things for the record. First, my girlfriend at the time hated wine. Second, I am lactose intolerant, and I am not a huge fan of wine myself. Third, the wine tasting was hosted by people that neither of us was terribly fond of. So, I didn’t think it was that crazy of a question. I stated these facts to her as I posed my question, and got an answer I could have never prepared myself for; “Because we are too old to go out and play beer pong with your fraternity buddies. These are the things that couples our age do.”
I am sure there is a question on all of your minds right now as well; “What on earth could this have to do with dogs?” I am glad you asked! As I have stated many times, I learn most of my important life lessons from dogs. And thankfully, there is a dog that frequents Bark Place that is teaching me that age is just a number, and that society should have no bearing on how you perceive your own age. The dog in question is named Oden. He is a 13 year old Dalmatian mix. Now, if we go by conventional wisdom and assume that every year old a dog is is equal to 7 human years, it would make Oden 91 years old. (Thanks to advances in veterinary technology and higher quality dog food, among other things, the 1 year to 7 year ratio is not really accurate anymore, but for the sake of my argument it gives us a decent measuring stick.) Now, if Oden was adhering to society’s view of what creatures in their 90’s should be doing, he would be spending his days eating tapioca pudding, watching Wheel of Fortune, and going to bed at 5pm. This is not the case. Oden is one of the most energetic dogs I have seen in a long time. He is usually one of the first dogs to get here, will have a swimming lesson during the day, and still be up and running while the 2 and 3 year old Labs and Golden Retrievers are napping in the corner. He still wiggles his butt with the vigor of an 8 week old puppy, chases a tennis ball like it is the first time he has ever seen one, and will sniff any hind end that comes within a 10 foot radius of him. There are days, of course, that you can tell Oden feels his age. He has arthritis in his hips, and suffers a lot of the aches and pains that go with it. However, he even takes on those aches and pains with the vigor of a dog half his age. If he is having trouble standing up, or going up and down stairs, he doesn’t wait for someone to help him. He backs up and gives it another shot with a little more “umpf” the second time around. When the other dogs in the room are being lazy, he will go to each and every one of them, give them a push with his snout, and force them to get up and play. It is almost as if he is going around to each dog telling them that life is too short to spend it sleeping. What is so beautiful and inspiring about Oden is that nobody ever gave him the memo that this is not the way dogs his age are supposed to act. He is not acting this way to defy anyone’s expectations. He is not acting this way to prove a point that dogs his age can run and jump with the best of them. He is doing it because he feels like it. Nothing more, nothing less.
We can all learn a very important lesson from Oden. Age is only a number. Nothing more, nothing less. Age does not define who you are. It is a part of who you are, yes, but it should not and cannot define you unless you let it. So kids, when your parents find you on Facebook and try to become your friend, do not shake your head and say that they are too old to be on Facebook. Clean up your profile, take down the pictures of you doing keg stands, add them as a friend and be proud that your folks are not conforming to the idea that they are “too old” to be on Facebook. Adults, when you are walking through Best Buy and see that Guitar Hero game just begging to be tried out, do it! Don’t sigh and say “I’m too old for that stuff.” You are basically saying “I’m too old to have fun.” And nobody is too old to have fun. And twenty-something’s….remember that at this point, we are neither adults nor kids. So play some video games, go to a wine tasting, then go play beer pong. And if you ever find yourself wondering if you are too old or too young to be doing something, just think: What Would Oden Do?
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
How the Man in Black saved daycare
Hello to all of you in the blogosphere! I would like to first thank you for all of the great feedback about the first post from Bark Place. It really means a lot. This is going to be a short one today, but there is something that I feel I must share.
I have read many studies about the effects of music on dogs. Some say classical music can calm a dog down, some have said music with a slow steady beat can calm a dog down, some say that heavy metal will make dogs aggressive, and some say Barry Manilow can cause a dog to jump out a window and try to end his own life. Whatever the study, I have tended to read them with some skepticism….except the Barry Manilow one…I totally buy that. There has only been one instance when I have seen with my own eyes music truly affecting a dog’s behavior. We had a dog at my last daycare that would howl every time Van Morrison was playing. For real. I thought it was a coincidence at first, so I put him in a room and tried almost every genre of music, multiple artists, even Barry Manilow (the room had no windows), and there was no reaction. But when Van Morrison came on, it was like he was singing right along. This was over 2 years ago that we first realized this, and I still have not come to a conclusion as to why this dog would only react to Van Morrison. If anyone has any insight please feel free to share.
The only other time I have seen any effect that music has on dogs is when I am driving with my dog Max. But, I really think that the reaction is more to my singing than the actual music. It’s not even so much a reaction that Max gives. It’s more of a look like “Dude…you really wonder why you’re not on Broadway? Really?” Then I remind him that I am the provider of food and shelter, and if he has a problem with my singing he can see how he would fair on his own.
So, beyond that one exception, I was skeptical at best about music having an effect on behavior. That was until today. We had a particularly rambunctious group here, and all morning it kind of felt like we were standing on a powder keg. Anyone that has been in a room full of dogs probably knows what I am talking about. No one is fighting or instigating, but you can feel a definite tension in the room. We always have music playing in the play area, and thanks to the glorious invention of the 30 gig music player, we always have a large assortment of music playing. (Side note, for anyone that is interested, Wednesday is Broadway day, so if you want to see rehearsals of the all puppy version of Guys and Dolls, stop by on Wednesday. For those of you that are wondering what happened to the all puppy version of Rent we were working on, we could not find a dog that would keep their fishnets on long enough to play Mimi. Perhaps we will try it again in the fall.) So, I thought nothing of it when I turned on some Johnny Cash. However, much to my surprise, as soon as the soothing baritone of The Man in Black filled the room, the tension seemed to dissipate. One by one, the dogs stopped running around, they each found their own corner, and they all slowly drifted off to sleep. It was like a total calmness filled the room.
This just happened today, so at this point I cannot really say if it was a coincidence or not, but what I can say is the reaction was convincing enough to make me go back and reread some of those studies I was so cynical about before. I will be sure to let you all know if I find a direct correlation, but for now, let me leave you with this: No matter if you are happy or sad, young or old, boxer or beagle, rich or poor, there is one thing that is certain… We could all use a little Cash.
I have read many studies about the effects of music on dogs. Some say classical music can calm a dog down, some have said music with a slow steady beat can calm a dog down, some say that heavy metal will make dogs aggressive, and some say Barry Manilow can cause a dog to jump out a window and try to end his own life. Whatever the study, I have tended to read them with some skepticism….except the Barry Manilow one…I totally buy that. There has only been one instance when I have seen with my own eyes music truly affecting a dog’s behavior. We had a dog at my last daycare that would howl every time Van Morrison was playing. For real. I thought it was a coincidence at first, so I put him in a room and tried almost every genre of music, multiple artists, even Barry Manilow (the room had no windows), and there was no reaction. But when Van Morrison came on, it was like he was singing right along. This was over 2 years ago that we first realized this, and I still have not come to a conclusion as to why this dog would only react to Van Morrison. If anyone has any insight please feel free to share.
The only other time I have seen any effect that music has on dogs is when I am driving with my dog Max. But, I really think that the reaction is more to my singing than the actual music. It’s not even so much a reaction that Max gives. It’s more of a look like “Dude…you really wonder why you’re not on Broadway? Really?” Then I remind him that I am the provider of food and shelter, and if he has a problem with my singing he can see how he would fair on his own.
So, beyond that one exception, I was skeptical at best about music having an effect on behavior. That was until today. We had a particularly rambunctious group here, and all morning it kind of felt like we were standing on a powder keg. Anyone that has been in a room full of dogs probably knows what I am talking about. No one is fighting or instigating, but you can feel a definite tension in the room. We always have music playing in the play area, and thanks to the glorious invention of the 30 gig music player, we always have a large assortment of music playing. (Side note, for anyone that is interested, Wednesday is Broadway day, so if you want to see rehearsals of the all puppy version of Guys and Dolls, stop by on Wednesday. For those of you that are wondering what happened to the all puppy version of Rent we were working on, we could not find a dog that would keep their fishnets on long enough to play Mimi. Perhaps we will try it again in the fall.) So, I thought nothing of it when I turned on some Johnny Cash. However, much to my surprise, as soon as the soothing baritone of The Man in Black filled the room, the tension seemed to dissipate. One by one, the dogs stopped running around, they each found their own corner, and they all slowly drifted off to sleep. It was like a total calmness filled the room.
This just happened today, so at this point I cannot really say if it was a coincidence or not, but what I can say is the reaction was convincing enough to make me go back and reread some of those studies I was so cynical about before. I will be sure to let you all know if I find a direct correlation, but for now, let me leave you with this: No matter if you are happy or sad, young or old, boxer or beagle, rich or poor, there is one thing that is certain… We could all use a little Cash.
Friday, June 19, 2009
How dogs taught me what it means to be an Iowan
This entry is brought to you by the manager of Bark Place, the number 3, and the letter L. I will be posting on here from time to time, giving updates on what has been happening at Bark Place, fun stories about the dogs, and just general tidbits of information that you may find interesting. However, since this is the first post from Bark Place, we are going to shake things up a bit. This entry is titled “How dogs taught me what it means to be an Iowan.”
As some of you may know, I am not a native Iowan. I had a brief affair with Iowa while I was attending Drake University, but as anyone that went to Drake will tell you, when you are student at Drake you tend to exist in a little “bulldog bubble”, so by all intents and purposes, it doesn’t count. I moved to New York City after graduation, and was there until about 6 weeks ago when I got a call that would turn my world upside down….both literally and figuratively.
I knew that moving from the “concrete jungle” to the “field of dreams” would be a bit of a change, but I never realized how different it would be until I started observing how my dog, Max, was reacting to the move and all of the changes we were encountering. This all came to a head about 3 hours into my drive from New York to Des Moines. We had stopped at a rest station somewhere in Pennsylvania because Max was telling me in a not so subtle way that he needed to “take a break.” For the record, I do not recommend driving through the Pocono Mountains with a Dachshund that has to go to the bathroom jumping up and down on your lap. Anyway, we get to the rest area and go to the “pet exercise” space. Much to my surprise, Max wouldn’t go. So, I gave him his cue to go (if anyone is curious, his command to go is “do work”). Still nothing. It wasn’t until Max pulled me back onto the concrete of the parking lot that I realized what was going on. Max had never gone to the bathroom on grass. He was a city dog, and “doing work” on concrete was all he knew. It was at that point that I realized I was going to learn a lot more from him than he was going to learn from me. I was only looking at the big picture differences (driving to work instead of taking the subway, actually feeling safe in public places, having a backyard, etc.). Max was teaching me that the small differences are often the most important.
I have now been an Iowan for the better part of 6 weeks, and I am still learning how different my life is. Not just from Max, but from all of the dogs I have come in contact with. I kind of hit the ground running once I got to Des Moines, so I really have not gotten a chance to meet many folks in the area. But that does not mean that I am not learning what it means to be an Iowan. In my years of studying dog behavior, I have become a firm believer that a dog’s behavior is a direct reflection of their environment and not their breed. With that in mind, I would like to share some of the things that the dogs of Bark Place have taught me about what it means to be an Iowan, and how different it really is from being a New Yorker.
-Iowans listen. They do not just wait for you to finish speaking so they can say/bark their opinion. This is not the case out east.
-Iowans know how to share. I was running doggie daycares in New York before coming here, and in my wildest dreams I could have never imagined having toys or equipment for the dogs to play on in the play area. The dogs of Iowa have taught me otherwise. We have had so many games of catch with groups of dogs going after the same ball that if it keeps up like this my throwing arm will be ready for its Iowa Cubs debut before long.
-Iowans know how to sit. Try being 5’8” and sitting in the cheap seats at Shea Stadium (GO METS!!) and then tell me that New Yorkers know how to sit. They don’t.
-Iowans are housebroken. Snicker if you will, but I defy you to stand on a subway platform in late July, inhale deeply through your nose, and tell me that New Yorkers are housebroken. They aren’t.
-Iowans have an abundance of love to give. And although the folks at match.com tried to convince that New Yorkers also have an abundance of love to give…they don’t.
-Iowans are not afraid to give a sloppy kiss…..and we will leave well enough alone on this one J
-Iowans do not profile. Going back to my experiences running daycares out east, I again could have never imagined having a room full of dogs of all shapes and sizes playing together in harmony. Feel free to insert your favorite Neil Young quote here.
-Iowans are not afraid to get a little dirt under their nails. I will happily bathe your dog at the end of a daycare day if it means that they get to have a little time outside in the grass. The dogs out east (as shown by Max), have no idea what it means to frolic in field, or backyard, or even be outside while not on a leash. Now granted, Max and I would take frequent trips to Central Park, but he was so interested in barking at the horse drawn carriages I don’t think he ever even realized he was outside. If you want pure comedy, put a 12 pound Dachshund within viewing distance of a Clydesdale and let the fun begin. And hang on tight to your leash!!
-And most importantly of all, Iowans are just plain nice. This is something that I have been able to see not just from your dogs, but from the people that I have had the pleasure to meet so far. The support and encouragement Bark Place has gotten not only from the ARL, but from the city of Des Moines itself has been so overwhelming and humbling that I cannot even begin to put it into words. All I can say is “thank you.” Thank you for restoring my belief that people can be nice without having a hidden agenda. Thank you for reminding me that dogs are part of a family, and not just an accessory. Thank you for showing me that there is such a thing as being truly selfless (ARL volunteers, I am looking at you!) And finally, I would like to thank all of you that have trusted us with the care of your dog so far. Believe me, it is not a trust we will ever take for granted. If you haven’t gotten a chance to stop by and see us yet, please do (3601 104th street in Urbandale). Not only so you can see the space and the faces of happy and healthy dogs, but so I can meet more of you and continue my quest to learn what it means to be an Iowan.
~RS
As some of you may know, I am not a native Iowan. I had a brief affair with Iowa while I was attending Drake University, but as anyone that went to Drake will tell you, when you are student at Drake you tend to exist in a little “bulldog bubble”, so by all intents and purposes, it doesn’t count. I moved to New York City after graduation, and was there until about 6 weeks ago when I got a call that would turn my world upside down….both literally and figuratively.
I knew that moving from the “concrete jungle” to the “field of dreams” would be a bit of a change, but I never realized how different it would be until I started observing how my dog, Max, was reacting to the move and all of the changes we were encountering. This all came to a head about 3 hours into my drive from New York to Des Moines. We had stopped at a rest station somewhere in Pennsylvania because Max was telling me in a not so subtle way that he needed to “take a break.” For the record, I do not recommend driving through the Pocono Mountains with a Dachshund that has to go to the bathroom jumping up and down on your lap. Anyway, we get to the rest area and go to the “pet exercise” space. Much to my surprise, Max wouldn’t go. So, I gave him his cue to go (if anyone is curious, his command to go is “do work”). Still nothing. It wasn’t until Max pulled me back onto the concrete of the parking lot that I realized what was going on. Max had never gone to the bathroom on grass. He was a city dog, and “doing work” on concrete was all he knew. It was at that point that I realized I was going to learn a lot more from him than he was going to learn from me. I was only looking at the big picture differences (driving to work instead of taking the subway, actually feeling safe in public places, having a backyard, etc.). Max was teaching me that the small differences are often the most important.
I have now been an Iowan for the better part of 6 weeks, and I am still learning how different my life is. Not just from Max, but from all of the dogs I have come in contact with. I kind of hit the ground running once I got to Des Moines, so I really have not gotten a chance to meet many folks in the area. But that does not mean that I am not learning what it means to be an Iowan. In my years of studying dog behavior, I have become a firm believer that a dog’s behavior is a direct reflection of their environment and not their breed. With that in mind, I would like to share some of the things that the dogs of Bark Place have taught me about what it means to be an Iowan, and how different it really is from being a New Yorker.
-Iowans listen. They do not just wait for you to finish speaking so they can say/bark their opinion. This is not the case out east.
-Iowans know how to share. I was running doggie daycares in New York before coming here, and in my wildest dreams I could have never imagined having toys or equipment for the dogs to play on in the play area. The dogs of Iowa have taught me otherwise. We have had so many games of catch with groups of dogs going after the same ball that if it keeps up like this my throwing arm will be ready for its Iowa Cubs debut before long.
-Iowans know how to sit. Try being 5’8” and sitting in the cheap seats at Shea Stadium (GO METS!!) and then tell me that New Yorkers know how to sit. They don’t.
-Iowans are housebroken. Snicker if you will, but I defy you to stand on a subway platform in late July, inhale deeply through your nose, and tell me that New Yorkers are housebroken. They aren’t.
-Iowans have an abundance of love to give. And although the folks at match.com tried to convince that New Yorkers also have an abundance of love to give…they don’t.
-Iowans are not afraid to give a sloppy kiss…..and we will leave well enough alone on this one J
-Iowans do not profile. Going back to my experiences running daycares out east, I again could have never imagined having a room full of dogs of all shapes and sizes playing together in harmony. Feel free to insert your favorite Neil Young quote here.
-Iowans are not afraid to get a little dirt under their nails. I will happily bathe your dog at the end of a daycare day if it means that they get to have a little time outside in the grass. The dogs out east (as shown by Max), have no idea what it means to frolic in field, or backyard, or even be outside while not on a leash. Now granted, Max and I would take frequent trips to Central Park, but he was so interested in barking at the horse drawn carriages I don’t think he ever even realized he was outside. If you want pure comedy, put a 12 pound Dachshund within viewing distance of a Clydesdale and let the fun begin. And hang on tight to your leash!!
-And most importantly of all, Iowans are just plain nice. This is something that I have been able to see not just from your dogs, but from the people that I have had the pleasure to meet so far. The support and encouragement Bark Place has gotten not only from the ARL, but from the city of Des Moines itself has been so overwhelming and humbling that I cannot even begin to put it into words. All I can say is “thank you.” Thank you for restoring my belief that people can be nice without having a hidden agenda. Thank you for reminding me that dogs are part of a family, and not just an accessory. Thank you for showing me that there is such a thing as being truly selfless (ARL volunteers, I am looking at you!) And finally, I would like to thank all of you that have trusted us with the care of your dog so far. Believe me, it is not a trust we will ever take for granted. If you haven’t gotten a chance to stop by and see us yet, please do (3601 104th street in Urbandale). Not only so you can see the space and the faces of happy and healthy dogs, but so I can meet more of you and continue my quest to learn what it means to be an Iowan.
~RS
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