“We are grateful to serve such a compassionate and pet-loving community, and this Happy Tail is about how our community helped reunite a dog that had been missing for over two years,” the animal shelter wrote.
The animal shelter and WFIE reveals that Bear got lost two years ago on April 2022 while he was with a pet sitter.
Brandy Ross, Bear’s owner, was devasted when the pooch was lost. She tells WFIE, “Like, that was the hardest part. Was going home after I had left him with the sitter and then coming home to not having my dog.”
She and her family reported him missing and posted in Facebook groups. And they spent weeks searching and posting him. But to no avail, Bear never turned up.
The “saddest part”, as HSPPR put it, is that Ross’ family had to leave Colorado Springs without the pooch and move to New York due to work in the military.
But for HSPPR, things “got exciting” when they started working with a group of volunteer pet lovers dedicated to helping lost dogs reunite with their families.
HSPPR reveals, “In July, Animal Law Enforcement (ALE) was alerted to a possible Bear sighting. Where at? The same location he went missing two years prior. So, an ALE officer reached out to these volunteers for help.”
The animal shelter reveals that the volunteers jumped on board to save Bear “without hesitation”.
“Feeding stations were set up, game trail cameras were placed, and they began monitoring Bear. They even found the original lost pet post from the owners (yes, the one from 2022) and let them know what was happening,” HSPPR explains.
Danielle Neiner, the volunteer who found Bear, further explains to WFIE how they caught Bear, “We then set up a time to put up what’s called a messy trap. So it’s a giant trap where they walk in, they hit a light, basically towards the back that triggers the door to close.”
And finally, on August 18, the volunteers successfully captured Bear. The animal shelter reveals that through a microchip check, they were able to confirm that the stray pooch they caught was indeed Bear.
“His owners were crying tears of happiness,” HSPPR wrote.
Neiner reveals that when they found the pooch, “He was pretty matted, very dirty, all that different stuff. He’s definitely underweight. but health-wise, he’s had no health problems.”
Ross couldn’t believe the news of her pooch being found. She said, “The whole night I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, is this my dog?’ And then she read the numbers and she’s like, ‘It’s him.’ And I was like, ‘No way.’ And I was literally bawling my eyes out … Even now I’m in shock that this is him,”
“And to now be like, ‘He’s OK.’ It’s weird. It was, it was crazy. Like our emotions were everywhere,” Ross added.
Before making the cross-country trip, Bear got a much-needed groom and went to the vet for shots and a health certificate, all taken care by the volunteers who rescued him.
And then on September 01, Bear finally took the trip to reunite with his family, a trip that was paid by generous community members.
And before the long-awaited reunion, Ross reveals, “So we already bought all of his bed and his bowls, and my kids helped me buy him toys.”
Bear’s story is another reminder that hope is never lost. And that microchipping your pets will highly increase your chances of being reunited with them if they ever get lost.
Beacon, the therapy dog who provides emotional support to the US Olympic Gymnastics team, has been hospitalized on Tuesday, September 03.
The news was announced by the Golden Retriever’s owner and handler, Tracey Callahan Molnar, on the pooch’s Instagram page.
“Beacon was admitted yesterday to an emergency pet hospital after some symptoms he was having (stiffness, moving into labored breathing, and then fever) were not reacting to treatments (anti-inflammatory meds, cold laser therapy),” Callahan Molnar wrote.
Callahan Molnar also said that x-rays showed that Beacon has fluid in his chest cavity, which was part of the reason for the dog’s labored breathing.
However, the vet’s cause of concern was Beacon’s high fever. And that’s when the pooch was transported to an emergency pet hospital.
The therapy dog’s owner and handler reveals, “some diagnostics have been done but more to go. my understanding is that there are many potential causes therefore, many things to rule out.”
Furthermore, Callahan Molnar revealed, “he has needed to have fluid removed from his chest cavity multiple times and during a procedure yesterday to take tissue samples from some concerning lung tissue”.
“This is an incredibly difficult post to make,” Callahan Molnar said. “I’ve decided to share this now because beacon has 50k + followers and i know that can mean 50k + people sending him wishes for healing and good health.”
Among Callahan Molnar’s “biggest requests” is for people to send the four-year-old therapy dog good wishes, whether it be thoughts, prayers, virtual hugs, or in whatever form it comes.
Callahan Molnar promised Beacon’s followers to keep them posted and said, “We know that beacon provides animal assisted therapy but i hope you know that he loves people so much that the in-person interactions he had with so many of you are also meaningful to him.”
The USA Gymnastics posted about the news on their social media pages and wrote, “We’re wishing Good Boy Beacon a speedy recovery!”
Beacon is the USA Gymnastics’ first ever therapy dog. He provided much needed comfort and emotional support during the recent Olympics trial that ran from June 27 to 30.
Everyone loved him – from the athletes to the judges, Beacon was hard at work last June. You could even say that he stole the show and became a fan-favorite.
In an interview with ESPN, Callahan Molnar talked about Beacon saying, “He will turn on a dime without seeing who it is. He picks up on the stress and will pull to that person immediately.“
You can help Beacon towards his road to recovery by donating here.
Dogs have a unique way of communicating. They may not be able to use words, but they sure do have a way of conveying their intentions, including remorse and regret, through body language and behavior.
From chewing your favorite shoes to digging through the trash, dogs, sometimes, let mischief take over. However, this does not suggest that they do not feel some sort of remorse.
As a matter of fact, after a little bit of mischief, dogs often exhibit behaviors suggesting that they’re sorry and wish to make it up to you.
These behaviors, no matter how small or big, are our dogs’ way of expressing regret and seeking reconciliation with their hoomans.
And understanding these behaviors when they apologize deepens our understanding of our pooches and strengthens our bonds with them.
So, continue reading and learn everything you need to know about the art of dog apology.
Understanding Canine Behavior: Do Dogs Really Feel Guilt?
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Even though dogs are considered “man’s best friend”, their behavior and the way they communicate is world’s apart from ours.
While we mostly rely on words to communicate, dogs rely on body movements, vocalizations, chemical signals (such as body odors and pheromones), and physical contacts to convey their thoughts and intentions.
Dogs have evolved in so many ways because they typically learn through association. They act in particular ways after observing people’s response.
And throughout the years, they have developed sophisticated communication strategies and behaviors to enable them to maintain harmony.
But do they really feel guilt? Well, a 2009 research examined the canine “guilty” expressions. And it discovered that dogs only display “guilty” behavior more frequently when their owners scolded them than when owners remained natural.
Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, the author of the research said, “A better description of the so-called guilty look is that it is a response to owner cues, rather than that it shows an appreciation of a misdeed.”
Furthermore, guilt is a complex concept to grasp for a dog and no study have proven than dogs fully understand the weight of their mischief. And we can say that their actions are a reflection of our response to what they have done.
So, dog apology serves more than just moral remorse. It is more of a response to our reaction to their misdeeds, to make us feel better, and to prevent us from getting angry at them.
And as a dog owner, it is important that we understand canine behavior and body language. It helps us better understand each other and gives both parties room to effectively communicate, despite not “speaking the same language”, and resolve conflicts.
10 Signs Of Dog Apology
Dogs may not fully comprehend the concept of guilt or apologizing, but they still try their best to make things right with their hoomans. From subtle body language to more grand gestures, dogs have their own ways of expressing regret and seeking for forgiveness.
So, without further ado, here are 10 signs your dog is trying to say sorry to you:
1. Lowering Their Head And Making Airplane Ears
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A dog trying to apologize to you will lower their head and make airplane ears. When they do this, we might assume that they feel bad and are afraid to be punished.
However, these behaviors are a sign of acknowledgment of the misdeed and submission to their owner. By showing submission and appeasement, they communicate the desire to alleviate tension and avoid confrontations.
2. Avoiding You At All Costs
Dog apology may also come in the form of avoidance behavior. When they sense our displeasure in them, they may avoid eye contact, hide somewhere they deem safe (like their crate), or retreat to a corner.
While this behavior may seem like a dog is showing guilt, it’s more about them understanding the negative response they got, and removing themself from the intense situation to try and de-escalate it.
You can say that it’s their way of saying, “I know I did wrong. And I’m going to give both of us time and space to calm down.”
3. Tucking Their Tail And Making Puppy Eyes
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Dogs use their tail to express a lot of their feelings. And when a dog tucks its tail in between its legs, it means they feel scared or anxious. But it can also be a sign of submission in the presence of another dog or human.
So, if you scold your dog and it tucks its tail, it’s another way of them saying “I know I did something wrong.”
Similar to tucking their tail, dogs also make “puppy dog eyes” to express a lot of things. And one of them is when they express their regret.
If you ask us, this seems like a dog’s trump card when trying to apologize, because who can resist a dog so adorable when they make those eyes?
4. Lying Down And Exposing Their Belly
When you scold your dog for doing something mischievous and they start rolling over and exposing their belly, that’s another form of dog apology.
While we always associate an exposed dog belly as a sign of trust, this behavior can also mean a lot of things. But in the context of dog apology, it can mean that they feel afraid, want to avoid any confrontation, or don’t want to be in any trouble.
5. Licking
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Dogs who are trying to apologize tend to lick their fur, their nose, or even your face, hands, or feet! After a mistake, dogs will try to do this gesture on themselves to express their nervousness and awareness of their misdeed.
But when they do it to you, it actually is a little sweet gesture to soothe you and reduce the tension. A study has shown that licking releases endorphins in a dog’s brain. It makes dogs and us feel a lot calmer and more relaxed.
It’s also their way of trying to mend the bond between the both of you, show you affection, and reinforce and reassure their loyalty to you despite their mistake.
6. Sticking Close To You
Along with licking, another intimate gesture dogs do to express their sorry is by nuzzling or sticking close to you.
When they know they’ve been naughty, they will try to come close to you and press their whole body against you, like a little kid seeking comfort.
7. Placing A Paw On You
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Another form of dog apology is when they place a paw on you. Like the puppy dog eyes they make, pawing is an effective way for dogs to apologize and be immediately tended to, because we hoomans find it adorable and irresistible.
By putting their paw on your arm, lap, or leg, they’re acknowledging their mistake and asking for reassurance that you still love them even after a misdeed.
When or after reprimanding your dog for doing something bad, have you ever heard them softly whining? Well, that’s another form of dog apology!
Whining is another submissive behavior that dogs do as a way of apologizing. This behavior comes from dogs’ ancestors, the wolves.
It is rooted in the pack dynamics where wolves can be shunned from the pack when they break the rules. They whine, lower their head, and put their tail in between their legs as a sign of submission.
9. Bringing Their Favorite Toy To You
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Some mischievous dogs resort to playing when they try to appease and apologize to you. So, as a form of dog apology, they bring you their favorite toy so the both of you can play.
This might be a bit different from their other apologetic behavior but this can be interpreted as them giving you a peace offering for their mistake. It’s their way of saying “This is my prized possession, and I’m giving it to you as a token of my apology.”
Furthermore, a study found that adult dogs like to use play time to encourage emotional bonds between humans and dogs, a trait they adapted as they became domesticated.
10. Yawning
You might notice some dogs yawning when they’re being reprimanded. When they do this, it’s another way of them saying sorry to you.
Yawning in dogs can signify a lot of things. But in the context of doing a misdeed, it can signify stress or a dog’s intentions to avoid conflict or de-escalate an intense situation, especially if you scold them after they dog something bad.
In dog apology, yawning is usually accompanied by other submissive behaviors such as tucking their tail and airplane ears.
Responding To Your Dog’s Apology
Responding to a dog’s apology is key to maintaining a great relationship with them. Since they communicate differently and process guilt and remorse differently from us, understanding this is crucial to responding to their apology with compassion, rather than with punishment.
When you see them doing any of the abovementioned behaviors, it’s important to acknowledge their actions. But it must be in a calm and soothing tone, so they can feel reassured and safe.
Furthermore, physical touch such as kissing or petting can help reinforce that you still care for them and love them.
As mentioned above, avoid anything negative such as punishment or yelling as much as possible. Raising your voice makes your dog scared and anxious.
Conclusion
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A dog’s body language is worth a thousand words, quite literally. Dogs communicate their thoughts and intentions through a wide range of behavior and body language cues.
And by paying attention to these, you’ll be able to better understand your dog, especially when they’re apologizing to you.
It’s also worth remembering that every dog is unique, and their apologies will vary from one another.
How does your dog apologize to you? Let us know in the comments below!
