photo credit: ♥ HunterJumper ♥

My dogs don’t feel guilt.

In fact, I don’t believe any dog feels guilt.  They’re not hard-wired that way.  Guilt, like opposable thumbs is reserved for us humans.  (now that I’ve included thumbs in this I need to spend some time perseverating on whether or not monkeys, apes, gorillas and their kin feel guilt).

There are going to be more than a few people who disagree with me on this.

“If my dog doesn’t feel guilt, then why does he slink away from me when I come home and he’s eaten the trash?”

“When I’m mad at her for chewing my favorite shoes, my dog practically buys me a bouquet of roses to make up — if that’s not guilt, I don’t know what is.”

Mmmokay.

I’m not here to convert you to living with your guilt-free dog.  That’s like trying to convince you that there’s only one way to Heaven (or even that there is such a place).

My dogs are constantly in the now.

At least they’re better at it than I am.

In the now there is no, “three minutes ago I destroyed the drywall, and now I’m thinking about how badly I feel about that.”

In the now there is only, “hey there, you’re here, hmm, you seem mad, you smell frustrated, I know that when you smell this way you raise your voice and it is not a good feeling now at all, so I’m going to play small and hopefully you’ll not pick on me.”

In the now there is no sitting on the couch and thinking about the trouble you’re going to get in when your human gets home.

It’s just now.

Love  me now.

Be near me now.

Let us hear each other now.

That’s a pretty good way to be.  If only I could figure it out.  now.