How Animals Teach

The Gossips
Acrylic on Canvas/ 12” by 36”/ $325

A Birdie Told Me So

A birdie with a yellow bill,
Hopped upon the window sill,
Cocked his shining eye and said:
Ain’t you ‘shamed, you sleepy head!

This poem, by Robert Louis Stevenson, impacted me much as the proverb popularized by Benjamin Franklin that said, “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” It reminds me that messages of wisdom are found in the natural world for those who pay close attention. Birds and animals sharing our planet are more intelligent and complex than most people imagine, and they have a lot to teach us.

A friend recently shared a story about a goose that sought help from a policeman who was sitting in his car. The officer assumed the goose wanted food when she pecked at his window, quaked and walked away—but that was not the case. When ignored, the goose returned until the man exited his car and followed to see what she wanted. He was led to a grassy spot where a newly hatched chick’s feet were tangled in a cord. Amidst loud but unaggressive quacking, the concerned mother goose stood by while his partner rescued the panicked gosling and set it free near an adjacent creek. The mother then hustled her brood to the water and all was well.

People talk about training their pets but rarely do they mention how their animals train them. We direct cats to litter boxes, teach dogs to fetch balls and even train them to be the eyes of blind people. I proudly taught my black poodle to jump through a hoop, but I too learned from the experience. Patience, caring, fun are a few words that come to mind. Just because we don’t speak their language, doesn’t mean they are not intelligent or that we can’t learn from them.

Our cat, Franny, can tell time. She sits by her food bowl at 7 each morning and promptly at 5:30 in the afternoon. She has trained us to feed her on time—which is fine, because she returns the favor. Somehow, she knows exactly when to wake up our adopted son so that he is never late for work. Much to our surprise, Franny didn’t miss a beat when daylight savings time arrived. How can that be?

A wealthy acquaintance sent his son to a private boarding school during his high school years. On the day he first arrived, he was assigned a horse to care for and exercise during his stay. All students were required to feed, brush and ride their animals rain or shine. Many of the arriving freshmen had been spoiled by generous parents who never required them to do a bit of work. Quite a few suffered from having been emotionally neglected by their parents. Learning to care and be responsible for an animal was a life altering experience for these youth. Though the horses required their attention, they learned that caring for another living organism has rewards. Being trusted by and receiving unconditional love from their horses were life altering experiences for the majority of students.

Animals are often used as an aid for mental or physically ill people. A young woman I know spent much many years suffering from severe depression. Her life went from bad to worse and she was unable to motivate herself to prepare meals or clean her apartment. Obtaining and keeping employment was a distant dream—that is, until she got a care-dog. Her perky pet was not concerned with her depression but trusted her to care for his needs. He required a morning walk and wanted to be fed several times each day. Her dog needed someone to brush his long hairs, bathe him occasionally, and play with him regularly. Though at times the dog was a burden, he gave a lot back in return.

Since dogs live in the moment, he taught her to do so as well. His daily walks improved his owner’s health, with fresh air contributing to her skin glowing. Since he was well cared for, he was happy and flourished, which made her feel good. Though she still suffered from occasional bouts of depression, the woman became more content and less depressed. She and her dog managed to get through bad times knowing that good moments will return. The dog gifted the woman with a nonjudgmental love. A few wet licks, a hug, and a friendly wagging tail is all it took for me to know that the two are a joyful team.

I recently read about how prisoners in many western states are becoming cowboys who train wild horses. As example, in Nevada for the past 17 years, felons have been allowed to leave their minimum-security prison to spend eight hours a day on a ranch where they are addressed as “horse trainer” instead of “inmate.” They represent a tough bunch of men who were incarcerated because their aggressive, impatient behaviors led to conflicts with the law. Some were drug dealers, others burglarized, and many were charged with assault. By the time they learn how to train temperamental mustangs, however, they go through a transformation.

Man and horse bond around a number of issues. Neither are used to being caged. When captured, both react by becoming mean and scary. Yet, in order to be released, they have to exhibit a softer way of acting that embraces respect and trust.

When a trainer is first put in a pen with a mustang, he confronts a wild, angry, snorting animal. It can take weeks before the horse is willing to be touched and many more days before it can be haltered, saddled, and ridden. The trainer works with his animal in a stressful and often dangerous environment. As one man put it, “climbing a 1000 lb. beast that keeps bucking you to the dirt also requires true grit.” When the men return at day’s end, other prisoners and guards do not mess with them. They exude self-confidence as they develop self-worth and respect for all living things.

Though the horses are put up for adoption every four months, the inmates remain supervised until their sentences are complete. During this time they are treated like men, instead of prisoners, and because they love what they are doing, they qucikly discard defensive behaviors and learn patience. Working with horses requires requires emotional control and focus on what they are doing. These skills help them find employment upon their release.

According to veterinarian Vint Virga, animals can teach us a a great deal about being human. Since animals mainly pay attention to the present, they demonstrate how to savor the moment rather than be easily distracted by past and future thoughts. Taking a cue from their behavior, we can learn to appreciate more fully your current activity by focusing on what is most important.

Animals tune into impressions from the world around them, trusting and acting on their instincts. If we too learn to acknowledge our hunches, we will become more open to new choices and opportunities. Rather than taking ourselves too seriously and work all of the time, we will acknowledge that rest and play are also vital to our happiness. Animals vary moments of rest, relaxation and reflection with periods for discovery, invention and joy. They become fully absorbed when playing and do not worry about how good they are at the game. When my dog played catch, she was completely focused and never paid attention to distractions in the environment.

Animals exude unconditional love for those who take the time to know and share their world. A few kind words, a belly rub and neck scratch will produce a friend who is there to greet you when you return from a busy day. By applying what is learn from pets and by taking the time to nurture family and friends, we will expand our circle of warmth and delight.

References:

Virga,Vint, THe Soul of All living Creatures, 10 Things Animals Can Teach Us about Being Human, Psychology Today.https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-soul-all-living-creatures/201501/10-things-animals-can-teach-us-about-being-human

Hernandez,Dan, True grit: how wild horses are turning Nevada Inmates into cowboys. The Guardian, Feb 25, 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/global/2015/feb/25/true-grit-wild-horses-nevada-inmates-cowboys

Leave a Reply