Grey Muzzle Authors and Interviews

Why do we name our dogs? Seems a bit of an odd question doesn’t it. But when we try to answer it, we struggle to come up with an answer any more detailed than, “so they come back when I call!” What do you use your own name for? Identification mostly. Imagine the confusion in a waiting room without names! This also applies to dogs. We use a dog’s name to identify them, in the Veterinarians office, in the grooming salon, in daycare; and to get them to come back to us in the park. So, if their name is actually a vitally important part of their life (like ours), why do we sometimes have dogs that appear to have no concept of their name?

A special introduction from the author: Lessons From Lucy is about my dog, Lucy, and the things she has taught me. Lucy and I are both getting on in years — I’m 71, and she’s 11 — but while I’ve tended to become crotchety, Lucy has somehow managed to remain playful and happy, even joyful. So I decided to try to figure out how she does it, and to see if I could improve my own happiness by doing the things Lucy does, except for drinking from the toilet.

This article has been republished for exclusive use by The Grey Muzzle Organization with the permission of original author, Devin Morrissey.

This article has been republished for exclusive use by The Grey Muzzle Organization with the permission of original author, Devin Morrissey.