Who knew I’d meet a wiseguy dog, “Frank”, in one of my animal communication sessions! Frank taught me that non-humans can have a wry sense of humor.
Because Frank was acting out, his people thought he might be ready to transition. He had a dire diagnosis, and they didn’t want him to suffer.
So I asked Frank if his physical condition was bad enough that transition would be a blessing.
But that was NOT why he was acting up. He wasn’t ready to leave the planet. But he made an assumption about what was going to happen to him. This assumption had him pretty worried and caused him to act out.
Frank told me the new puppy, “Felicity” was the issue. Felicity had recently joined the family. In Frank’s mind, there had only been ONE dog in the family. Him. After Felicity joined the family, Frank was sure his family was going to get rid of him!
When I told Frank’s “Dad”, he was shocked. So was I. Through me, “Dad” reassured Frank that his human family loved him dearly. They wanted to keep him. I could feel Frank relax as he understood this.
Here’s where the wiseguy dog part comes in
As we wrapped up our communication, I thought, “Boy, that Felicity is really a barker. She hasn’t quit since I got here. A bit annoying.” I heard Frank respond, “Yeah, I know. Not hearing Felicity very well is one of the perks of losing your hearing when you get older!” We had a chuckle.
So I learned three things in that session.
- Our companions can misinterpret our behaviors in ways that cause them (and us) anxiety. And we humans can misinterpret their behaviors, too.
- They might be listening even when we think we’re “talking to ourselves”!
- Humor isn’t a trait only found in humans. Other species are capable too. Read, Do Dogs Have a Sense of Humor?