Tag: Dogs

Puppy Park Therapy

Since my lovely dog walker is unwell, I have been taking Hermione to the puppy park once again. Despite the time commitment, the cold and the ruling out of any morning activities, it has turned out an unexpected boon.

While there recently, one of the regulars said that the puppy park was a kind of therapy, and she is absolutely right. Combining exercise, fresh air, good company and fluffy companions, it ticks all the boxes. And you don’t have to own a dog to enjoy them.

An urban idyll

The park is only a five minute’s drive away, set in a quiet neighbourhood next to my children’s old primary school. Behind is a Victorian cemetery and to the side a modern church. All of these lend the park an air of peace. And, despite being in the centre of the Old Town, feels like the countryside.

My heart lifts whenever I look up to the Downs beyond or the wide skies. Worries take on their correct proportions and disappear.

On days like today (when it was snowing earlier) we are exposed to the rigours of the cold. Indeed, facing whatever weather we are offered is good for us. The dog needs walking regardless – and battling the elements merely boosts our resilience. Today, I didn’t have my cold shower. Forty-five minutes in zero degrees was enough!

Exercise!

My ability to exercise is naturally not great, but a trip to the puppy park at least ensures that I get in a few more steps than normal. On good days, I might walk or stand for most of the time; on bad, I can enjoy the experience from the bench at the back.

The only problem is that one has to take care where one walks. The dogs have clearly not read the no digging signs and the ground is a mine field of craters. Mud and wet grass also pose their own challenges – but it does help sharpen my concentration. Fortunately, most owners pick up after their pets, though it is wise to keep an eye out for such hazards also.

Sensory meditation

For those who struggle with regular meditation techniques, the park on a quiet day, is an ideal place to practice. This morning, since it was so cold, there were few people there and at one point, no-one. I could relax and observe the magpie strutting across the grass; listen to the high voices of the children in the playground and enjoy the chill hand of the wind on my cheeks. The world smelled newly laundered.

A warm welcome

But undoubtedly the best part of our visits is the welcome you receive. Dog walkers are a democratic bunch. The only requirement for joining ‘the gang’ is a canine companion. Seldom have I been in any context where strangers are invited in so openly. Not everyone wants companionship and may walk the perimeters with their thoughts, but most of us steer towards the gaggle at the centre of the field.

Hermione is my membership card Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Park society

They come from every station in life and it is delightfully egalitarian. You may be rich or poor, employed or retired, able bodied or unwell. It doesn’t matter. What binds us is our love for dogs (and other animals). These are kind hearted folks who take the time necessary to care for their pets and many have rescued more than one from dreadful fates.

Over time, you meet the same people and share news, but even if you only meet once, people often open up in unexpected ways. Do they know that here they won’t be judged? People share their worries and their fears, information about health problems and relationship woes. They listen too with interest to yours. Sometimes there are tears; often there are hugs. We share tips and commiserate and feel better for the understanding.

There is much laughter too. A couple of regulars seem to try to outdo each other creating crazy and witty stories we all enjoy. One lady announced, to our bemusement, that she had, ‘Picked up her new partner off the street.’ Like a comedian, she waited for our reaction then followed with the line, ‘Well, from a hole actually’. Eventually, the whole story was revealed: her new man was a gas engineer working across the road where she struck up a conversation and asked him out.

Though not everyone gets on – we are human, after all – it never sours the atmosphere of the park. There is room for all.

How much cuteness can be contained in a fur coat?

Dog therapy

The action of stroking a dog or pet is itself a happy hormone booster, so getting to stroke several is better still (dogs benefit equally). Added to all of the above, the park is certainly a great way to strengthen one’s mental health.

For those of us with disabilities or health issues, it gives a welcome and necessary break from the home and great social interaction. I am blessed with a full house, but for those who live by themselves, the park provides its own family. And if you don’t have a dog? No matter, most owners would welcome a break from their duties occasionally and some are no longer able to walk their dogs as they would like.

There is an organisation called Borrow My Doggy that matches busy owners with those who would like a dog, but cannot care for one full time. One darling man I met recently suffers from chronic fatigue and walks the dog of a lady with MS. He loves the freedom of the arrangement and the owner is delighted with the help: a win-win.

An outing to the dog park may never appear on Tripadvisor, but I’d give it five stars any day.

Be more dog!

Living with a little furry friend has been an enlightening experience and the more I ponder on what a dog brings to my life, the more I realise that they are the ultimate teachers. Forget all the self-help manuals, the life-style magazines and podcasts. All that is necessary for a successful and contented life is to found in the behaviours of our canine friends. For the world to be a kinder and happier place, we should do one thing: be more dog.

Hermione in the garden Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Keeping your needs small

So much of our lives are spent in acquiring things that we don’t really require and exhausting ourselves in the process. Of course, everyone enjoys a little luxury now and then, but if we take a cue from our four legged friends, we will see that what we actually need is very little indeed : a secure home, regular, healthy meals, exercise, lots of affection and a nap when we’re worn out. I appreciate that even the above is not available to everyone, but if we have the benefit of the above, perhaps we can spare a little time and money to ensure that it is there for others too.

Dogs do not require designer gear or cupboards full of toys. They take what they find and make them into forms of entertainment. Hermione has had more fun with a flower pot (which she rather annoyingly obtains by removing the plant within) than any number of high tech gizmos. And of course, a ball. Every dog needs a ball.

An old cup, a ball and a hole. Doggy heaven.
Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

A healthy routine

Dogs and humans need plenty of exercise. Hermione has about two hours a day of walk and garden play plus anything else she can wangle. (I tried to wear her out once, but after four and a half hours outside, gave up!) Since I am unable to take her on long rambles on the Downs, I take her to the puppy park, where she can run and I can sit if needed. This time of year, the weather is seldom kind, yet we both benefit from the rush of fresh air and being immersed in natural surroundings. For Hermione, that means endless opportunities to sniff and explore the tree-lined perimeter; for me, it means time to watch the play of light across the sky and observe the ever-changing configurations of the clouds.

More often than not, friends arrive to share news. The dogs run around, or get fussing from other humans or snuggle on laps. Their owners reconnect with the world – for some this may be their first or only social interaction – but for everyone it is a period without phones, or tasks or diaries. We are there with our dogs and that is all we have to concentrate on for that hour.

A greater luxury still is the walks I can take on holiday, deep in woodland and ‘far from the madding crowd’. The level, even walks mean that I can walk further. With no traffic nearby, Hermione can range freely.

Taking a brief rest after trying to walk a little too far. Image: Jeff Costello-McFeat

A controlled diet

Hermione, like most active spaniels, has a good appetite, so we have to be careful to feed her just what she needs and no more. We have a local butcher who provides her with the best dog food (at a very reasonable price) and with her dry food at night, all her nutritional needs are met. She eats her vegetables and drinks water.

Sadly, I have not yet managed to control my diet quite as well. Life without caffeine seems too hard and life without the odd sweet treat unbearable. However, I know that my body would thank me for such discipline.

Love and loyalty

There is a reason for the phrase, ‘A man’s best friend is his dog,’ because no human being could display the level of love and loyalty that a dog does. But perhaps we could try.

Hermione expresses nothing but joy every time that you return to her life (even is it is just after going to the bathroom). And who doesn’t like feeling loved? Though she makes no complaint when you leave her for a while, she waits patiently for your return and holds no grudge for you ‘abandoning’ her for an hour or two.

Whether you have just gone up the stairs to fetch something, or needed to go out to a place where dogs are not allowed, she waits eagerly for your return.

A dog’s capacity for forgiveness is also exceptional. Being a small dog, who routinely gets tangled in my legs and who, I’m sorry to say, I sometimes tread on, she is endlessly forgiving. She may give a look that says, ‘Why did you do that?’ but a pat or a belly rub soon reassures her that it was an accident and you meant no harm. If we could show such a level of forgiveness for other’s mistakes and foibles, the world would surely be a better place.

Sometimes you just need a nap

Unlike many dogs, Hermione is not especially good at sleeping through the day. There are far too many adventures to be had. However, when she is tired, she takes a nap. We can learn much from a dog’s sense of work/life balance. When we are working, we should approach it will vigour and enthusiasm; when we need to rest and recover, we should. I know that our world frowns on such indulgences, but we are only kidding ourselves that we are productive when we are exhausted. With fatigue being such a large element of my life, I am all too aware of how just plain badly I function when I should be resting. If I listen to my body, however, take a short spell to fully relax and start again, everything gets done efficiently and well.

Snoozing on her cushion Image: Karen Costello-McFeat

Of course, there are some doggy behaviours that are perhaps best avoided and I’m sure you know the ones I mean. Sexually active dogs make teenagers look restrained and aggressive dogs can be scary (though more often than not, their aggression stems from mistreatment rather than an innate tendency to violence).

Those aside, the dogs I know are friendly and welcoming, eager for attention, curious and energetic. They live in the moment without effort – a feat that Zen masters take years to attain. Perhaps of all their traits, this is the most wonderful. Dogs find joy in every aspect of their world – living with neither worry for the future nor regret for the past. If nothing else, surely this is worth emulating.