Yes, I know canines can be gross, messy, and slobbery. They can also stretch our patience to the breaking point. Sometimes I’m ready to ask our terrier Libby to leave and yap incessantly somewhere else. Still, there’s one thing Libby does better than many humans. She displays impeccable manners in the following four ways…
She never walks into any event without a hostess gift – Sure, it’s usually a saliva-soaked throw toy that most people wouldn’t touch on a bet. But she doesn’t care. The grosser and more chewed up, the better!
I’ve read that dogs bringing toys is the ultimate expression of love. In the way that most humans don’t show up as a guest to another’s house empty-handed, a dog doesn’t show up to any event (even if it’s Monday night dinner) without a token of appreciation. It’s like they’re saying, “This toy makes me happy, so I want to share it with you.”
She says thank you – In this case, that thank you is a big, sloppy kiss. Of all people, my mother knows this phenomenon the best. Every night after dinner, Mom enjoys a small dish of vanilla ice cream. After eating, she places it on the floor, and Libby goes hog-wild, licking every remaining drop.
When done, without exception, she’ll jump on Mom’s lap (don’t worry, Libby’s a small Yorkie) and give her kisses. “She’s saying thank you,” Mom once noted when Libby started doing this. I had never thought of that, but it made sense. Since then, I can’t help being proud of my dog’s good manners.
She makes everyone feel special – This is where Libby really shines. If we’re having family or friends over in the living room, Libby loves playing hostess. She’ll go to each person and sit or lie next to them. Immediately she gets caresses from the dog lovers. And those who aren’t? Libby senses that too and moves on. Then at the end, she’ll bark at each one as they leave, which seems to mean either, “Please don’t go” or “Thank you for coming.”
Dogs are empathetic creatures. They especially use touch to comfort each other and their humans. Coming up to each person is Libby’s way of saying, “I see you. I’m glad you’re here.” It’s also a good icebreaker since it’s hard to ignore a little Yorkie running around..
She’ll say she’s sorry – Once Libby had a housebreaking accident under our bed. We were understandably upset and surprised at Libby’s misstep. A quick cleaning and all was back to normal. However, Libby was mortified. She went under a chair and wouldn’t come out for hours. Her eyes were sad. Her tail stayed flat and listless (it always curls up when she’s happy). She could hardly look at us. Libby was embarrassed.
Dogs hate to disappoint their humans, and when they miss the mark, it hurts. Libby stayed under that chair until I finally explained that we all make mistakes. She was forgiven. Finally, Libby flipped onto her back, exposing her pink belly as the ultimate “mea culpa.” Okay, let’s move on, she seemed to say
That’s just four ways our dog shows good manners. I’m probably forgetting some. How nice having these furry creatures. They not only bring joy but teach so many things. Behind all good manners is kindness—something all our dogs have had in spades.
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