Are You Dog-Centric?

I have a friend who, every time we go somewhere in public, ends up talking to mothers with young children. A baby stroller is a sure sign that our conversation will be interrupted. And I get it. She’s a mom of two and has that gene that draws her to babies. As much as kids are wonderful, I seem to be missing that particular gene. But put a dog in front of me, and I lose my train of thought completely. Walk past me with a dog, and in addition to nodding hello to you, I will no doubt say, “Hey, buddy!” in a silly, happy voice to your dog. I can’t help myself.

Granted, my life pretty much revolves around dogs, from writing about them and training them, to of course living with them. But is it terrible that I’m so dog-centric that I can watch a news show where horrible things have happened to people without shedding a tear, and yet one story about a tragedy involving a dog comes on and I’m a complete mess? I dread it when my husband and I are watching a movie and a dog appears on the screen, because I will inevitably spend the entire movie worried about whether something bad is going to happen to the dog. By the way, if you’re like me, you might want to know about the website Does the Dog Die? (www.doesthedogdie.com). You can search for any movie or tv show and it will tell you whether something bad happens to the dog. Pretty cool, eh? I discovered the site years ago when it just involved dogs, and now it’s expanded to other animals as well.

So, what do you say, my tribe of fellow dog lovers? Are you dog-centric and dog-sensitive, too? Tell me about it.

In other news, I’m hard at work finishing up my latest book! This one is on a topic that’s the bane of many dog owners’ existence; dog-dog reactivity. I’ll tell you more about it as the completion and release dates get closer, but I’m happy knowing that this one will help a lot of dogs and people, whether owners, trainers, or rescue/shelter workers. I’m really excited about it. Stay tuned!

You can find my books, seminars (DVD/streaming) and blog at www.nicolewilde.com.