Do Good

Years ago, my human was teaching a small adult manners class. All the dogs loved people and other dogs and responded to light handling from a stranger as if it were no big deal. So, she wanted the teams to practice restrained recalls in the middle of the room.

My human’s now-dear friend Kate brought her heart dog Bailey to the middle of the room for his turn practicing “come” on a 30-foot leash past other dogs. Kate told my human that Bailey had separation anxiety, so (if my human’s memory is accurate), they decided only to ask Bailey to be 15 feet away from Kate before she called him. Well, 15 feet away from his favorite person was stressful for Bailey, so they made the exercise even easier and asked Bailey to “come” at the end of his six-foot leash.

When Bailey succeeded in separating from then running to Kate, she lovingly exclaimed, “Did you do good? Did you do good? You did so good!” while Bailey pranced and danced around, so proud of himself.

Among the many gifts Kate’s given my human since they met is the phrase “you did good.” I hear how good I did when I see a dog and eat treats rather than bark, whenever I’m learning something new, and when I stretch out next to rather than nibble my human’s ear while she’s in Savansa.

I hear the world is a wacky place for you humans. Reading the news makes it easy to stress and worry. However, you should remember how much good people are doing all day, every day.

Thank your veterinary staff, who are gentle and patient with your dog(s) and (your) questions despite others desperately needing their attention and care. Be grateful for pet sitters and walkers who are likely struggling financially but still show up every day you need them and pivot with your needs for your beloved dog(s). Offer a kind word to your dog trainers who spend countless hours keeping up with behavior modification protocols and spend their money on treats, toys, and enrichment to demonstrate in sessions.

My human is grateful to every person who’s kind, compassionate, and generous to others, no matter how hard things get. So, in case you didn’t know, she has a reward program for almost everyone (she thinks), from a Dog Pro discount to an affiliate program to a 15% off monthly subscription. You should sign up for the affiliate program if you share Bark Pouch with friends and family. It’s free, and you earn money.

So, please remember to spread good as much as possible. My human may be kicking herself for accidentally leaving the shop’s refrigerator door open when dropping off cream cheese and losing hundreds of dollars of ingredients. Still, she’s grateful for her fantastic morning employee who went to the grocery store before sunrise to replace the 140+ blocks they needed for the day. And she’s thankful for every purchase, referral, and kind word you send her. 

Be safe, spread love, and thank you.