A Dog is a River

A dog is a river flowing on a bed created by his experiences - experiences that are shaped almost entirely by the people in his life.

Do we know the responsibility we carry as the caregivers of this river? Do we understand the depth of impact and effect we have? How do we contribute to the river of a dog’s consciousness?

We can recognize our place in the landscape of a dog’s mind, their spirit, their heart - and allow ourselves to hold this place with honour and awareness. By softening ourselves and tapping into the sweet place in our hearts that longs for the whispered solace of the most unique and unconditional love imagined.

To be loved by a dog is to bend and turn towards the sun itself. In return, we are offered the role of shaping and developing this river of a dog. We are given unprecedented freedom to control the life and path of another living being. This control is given freely, without paying any price for the privilege.

It is an uneven exchange, by most measures – a dog gives up his freedom to live with someone who can make or break his life. He places his future in the hands of his people with complete trust, something humbling and horrifying at once.

How can we tend to the rivers that are our dogs?

We can hold space for them as they unfold into our expectations and our rules and our limitations. Knowing that each interaction we have with them, each word we speak, each touch we offer –these make up the banks of their rivers, the stones over which they flow, the rapids through which they navigate. Knowing that we are the very making of their existence; and they are the very reflection of our souls.