Shortly before my Motorcycle accident I left my little spaniel in the care of a grand daughter while I made my motorcycle trip across country. Lucky has a bit of separation anxiety and she sometimes will sit on my feet if she thinks I'm about to go somewhere. I knew she would receive excellent care from Beth and she did.After I returned I picked her up and she was very excited to see me and everything was great. Then about a week later I had my encounter with the deer and ended up being hospitalized for almost a month so she was AGAIN abandoned by me and put in Beth's loving care. Since I've been in rehab I had Beth bring Lucky to me so she would know I haven't abandoned her and once again she was very excited and loving to see me.I have not requested she be brought over again feeling this might be traumatic for her to be constantly in and out of my company (I know it is for me).No real point to this post other than to say I REALLY miss that loving little dog.

Dogs cannot tell time in our sense. To an animal there is just now. SEE THE DOG you will both be better off for it.You will mend faster and the dog will be happy for awhile

It looks like a current TV commercial has captured this very thing with the dog waiting on his lady master to come back from long separations being in the Armed Forces.I even catch my dog laying on my foot sometimes as well. It is sometimes for wanting to go outside... We have three cats and one dog here. The cats won't even give it a second glance haha... One cat is an indoor/outdoor cat and when he wants to go outside he will walk up to the door and just stare at it haha... It works - one of us will open the door for him...Roy Ken

darsben wrote:Dogs cannot tell time in our sense. To an animal there is just now. SEE THE DOG you will both be better off for it.You will mend faster and the dog will be happy for awhileX2

By the way you did not abandon the dog. You made sure it was properly cared for.Good for all three of you

See your dog - it will help you heal also.

The problem with being hospitalized | Good Sam Community

30 Replies

Code2High
Explorer
Oct 14, 2013
I think the point is that we can look at things... brains, eyes, reactions, and so on.... But without the ability to sit down and say to the dog "how do you see _____, and how do you experience _____?" we will never really know.

And through history, if you look back, people have many times had certainty that they "knew" this or that about the world, based on available information at the time. Things that were later proven to be wrong. So we can think, and we can surmise, but to insist that you really "know" the exact way in which a dog or any other animal experiences the world is probably unwise.

I missed my dogs so much when I was in the hospital. Unfortunately, I was really sleep deprived and that makes me emotional sometimes. So when a volunteer walked in with a sheltie I just started crying. Poor lady!
Bird_Freak
Explorer II
Oct 14, 2013
dturm wrote:
Bird Freak wrote:
My point is how can anyone know if dogs are color blind or what range they have of hearing or anything else for that matter... If you can prove that please tell me how. That was my point.

ERG

and the makeup of the canine retina - microscopic comparison of the structures present.
How does anyone know if an animals brain process's information the same as a human. I'm just saying there is really now way we can really know if their brains need the same features or even process things the same as a human or even other animals as far as that goes.
dturm
Moderator
Oct 14, 2013
Bird Freak wrote:
My point is how can anyone know if dogs are color blind or what range they have of hearing or anything else for that matter... If you can prove that please tell me how. That was my point.

ERG

and the makeup of the canine retina - microscopic comparison of the structures present.
colliehauler
Explorer III
Oct 14, 2013
dturm wrote:
It's really amazing to see reactions in a nursing home or hospital. I saw it with my mother and many other people in her home. It isn't universal, in fact some have an unusual fear response, but that is more the exception.

Many hospitals are relaxing their rules about animal visits and I've actually done a couple of cultures on dogs just to verify that there wasn't a MRSA OR VRSA staph brooding in the dog.
I use to take Andy down to the nursing home that friend of the family was in. I worried that Andy might hurt someone because they were so frail. Andy was so gentle around these people. When Andy would arrive there eyes would light up.
colliehauler
Explorer III
Oct 14, 2013
Bird Freak wrote:
colliehauler wrote:
Bird Freak wrote:
I have always wanted to know how people think they know what a dog or any animal can see or sense. There is no way anyone can see, think, or hear like an animal. So what animals are telling them? See your dog. Its good for both of you!
If you have to ask you would not understand.
I have had a lot of dogs and pets in 60 years. My point is how can anyone know if dogs are color blind or what range they have of hearing or anything else for that matter. You have no way of knowing if they can see or hear some things or are they ignoring your test. I would swear my dachshund could see colors. If you can prove that please tell me how. That was my point.
Not on the subjects you spoke of but I seen a study where they did a CT scan on dogs and determined that the same part of the brain was stimulated as in humans when it came to emotional response. It's already been proven that dogs have more acute hearing and smell then people. Dogs sence of smell is used to find cancer in people, bombs, drugs, and survivors.
AuntSmurf
Explorer
Oct 14, 2013
Animals have an uncanny sense. See your little friend whenever you can! The amount of joy that the two of you bring to each other for that relatively short time will far, far outweigh any separation anxiety either of you suffer. Hugs, Kisses, and "I'll see you soon, Sweetheart!" at the end of your visit. :)
Bonefish
Explorer
Oct 13, 2013
The one thing I do is make sure Chicklet has a bath 2 hours before going. She has also be trained not to lick or pick up any food off the floor. If Chicklet see a resident in a wheel chair she know to put her head under there hand. A resident at my home would not talk or socialize with others and he was only 35. After Chicklet started coming he would chase us down calling out to stop. It was so funny that he had saved some of his chicken bones just for Chicklet. I had to tell him the reason why she could not have them. On our next visit he had a box of milk bones. Any animal is speical to these residents. I always tell visitors to the home bring an animal or child to see these people light up. Besides my nursing home residents, I do this wih my hospice patients too.

Sharon
dturm
Moderator
Oct 13, 2013
It's really amazing to see reactions in a nursing home or hospital. I saw it with my mother and many other people in her home. It isn't universal, in fact some have an unusual fear response, but that is more the exception.

Many hospitals are relaxing their rules about animal visits and I've actually done a couple of cultures on dogs just to verify that there wasn't a MRSA OR VRSA staph brooding in the dog.
sher9570
Explorer
Oct 13, 2013
Don't know why it double posted so I just deleted the content.

Sher
sher9570
Explorer
Oct 13, 2013
Skip you have done right by your dog. You've made sure she is well taken care of in your absence.
I really believe they know when your sick or hurt and she also knows you have not abandoned her.
Seeing her is good for both of you, will help your healing process and unless I'm wrong, she will be coming back to live with you once you have healed and rehabbed.
So you need to keep that connection...here's to happier days and re-uniting with your pup!

Sher