This subject doesn’t appear to be too original, I grant you that, but the dogs of 2021 are dogs of the pandemic, and they have something to say to us. And unlike their humans, dogs teach by actions rather than endless talk.

Despite the pandemic, my dog has remained polite and sociable. Although he has never put up a Be Nice sign in the yard, he appreciates the kindness of strangers in providing them and has taken the message to heart. Whenever he comes across a Be Nice sign, he insists on examining all the messages that his canine friends have left for him. That’s just how he is. It’s always been his way to listen first, without judgement and interruption. Since he believes it would be rude to stroll on by without responding, he always leaves a contribution to the conversation. Sometimes, he has a lot to say about the subject, other times he leaves a quick message and moves on. Probably the difference between responding to “Have a Nice Day” and “Do you think that life has meaning?”

My dog has had his rabies vaccination, and he wishes all dogs had that choice, but he doesn’t worry too much about it all. When he meets other dogs out on their walks, instead of asking them personal questions about their health history, he chats and offers to play. I think he figures that he has his shots, so he should be OK. (Once when he “played” too strenuously with a rodent, he did get a booster. He’s always been the most prudent of dogs.)

Although my dog never argues over politics, we do have disagreements. It happens in the best of families. Instead of accusations and recriminations, bringing up my faults, or criticizing my choices, my dog negotiates and encourages me to act right. With winsome looks or a soft bark he makes gentle requests to eat - again - or for me to get up in the morning. If I rudely ignore these diplomatic gestures, he simply commits petty theft from the dog food bag or jumps up on the bed and walks around until I don’t feel sleepy anymore.

When we have guests, my dog makes sure everyone feels welcome. He greets them effusively and keeps an eye on their plates, as all good hosts do. Since he worries that someone might go hungry, he follows our guests to the serving area to make sure they get big refills. He’s very sympathetic to anyone in the embarrassing position of having food on their plates that they don’t want. I think that he is a bit over zealous on this point and misinterprets some of the signs, but I applaud his willingness to help out whenever this problem occurs. All in all, he’s a gracious host.

You might think that I’m bragging, and maybe I am, a bit, but I think my dog is on to something. So let’s all step back for a minute and then act like my dog.