Our animals are members of our family and we love them as fiercely as we love our mothers, brothers, husbands and children. We will defend them fiercely to friends, neighbours and anyone who dares to approach them with ill intent.
We provide food, shelter, toys and most of all we provide them with love to ensure they live their best lives. We want them to have their very best lives and so we spoil them rotten whenever we possibly can. They are, for all intents and purposes one of the family and there is nothing that we won't do to ensure they are forever ours.
Here's a vital truth that you need to know. They feel the exact same way about you! Many animals even like to be able to return the favour by giving actual gifts, not just by cuddling or by getting pets from you!
Animals Who Give Gifts
That's right, I actually said there are animals who give gifts. The problem is that not everyone sees them as gifts. You might actually see these items as garbage or junk your pet drags home, but it is time for you to reconsider things from your pet's perspective.
We do things for them every day. Our animals desperately want to provide for us in the same way that we provide for them. That being said, here are the things animals have communicated to me that they have wanted to repay their humans for kindness:
housing
food
entertainment
toys
gifts
love
Cats
When I spoke with cats they explained when they brought their owners birds, mice, or other similar gifts (dead) it was as a thank you for all that had been given to them in the past.
Cats who gifted their owners live birds and mice were actually giving their owners an additional gift of the excitement of the hunt and the knowledge that their cat was skilled in the ability to track and hunt the prey.
Dogs
When I spoke with dogs who brought gifts of stones, bones and other treasure they explained these were items they like the most and were treasures they wanted to bestow upon their loved ones. Man's best friend picks gifts much like a human - if I like it - then they will like it - right?
The fact your dog believes you share the same interests is very sweet. It shows the desire to be connected in all ways, shapes and forms.
Non-Domestic Animals
The important thing to remember about these wonderful beings is that domestic animals are not the only animals that give gifts. Penguins give stones to their betrothed. There are other species who do similar things as well. The animal kingdom is full of animals that show their affection for one-another.
Dolphins, while they do not necessarily give gifts, will form a circle around humans in the water to protect them from sharks thus giving them the greatest gift of all - LIFE!
What to Do With Gifts
When you receive gifts from your pet it is important to both thank and praise your pet for the gift. Tell them how much you appreciate their thoughtfulness and the gift. Then tell them the type of gift you would like to receive in the future.
For instance, if your cat just brought you a live mouse you might go about thanking the cat in this way.
"Thank you Boots for bringing me a mouse. It was a most thoughtful gift. You are a great hunter! Boots, mice and birds are for the outside, as much as I love your gift of the mouse could you bring me a piece of grass or a flower next time please."
You notice that even though Boots didn't bring a bird into the house the instruction included a bird as something you didn't want in your house? Boots now knows you don't want a mouse or a bird and knows you would like a piece of grass or a flower as a gift.
Always give the animals an alternative so the animal knows what is acceptable to you. If you were to over-react to the situation and yell and/or scream when the cat brought the mouse/bird into the house and tell Boots to get the mouse/bird out of the house Boots would not understand why you were reacting to his gift that way. He brought you what he believed to be a thoughtul gift and he would be very hurt.
By explaining that you like a different gift and being calm and reaonsable Boots gets to understand that you like something different. He also got to be praised for his hunting skills without being told that he was bad for bringing something into the house.
Handling the gifts from the dog in a similar fashion would work. With the way a dog selects his/her gifts please remember most of the dogs I have communicated with have expressed their reason for selecting presents have given the reason for selection as being "I like it so my owner will like it". This iis very much a human-based reasoning logic from that standpoint and as such should be easy enough to work with when trying to reason with them in terms of finding a way to softly say I would prefer a different type of gift.
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