MENTAL HEALTH

Have you noticed that there are a lot of cross-overs between person mental health and animal mental health?

I was thinking about it this weekend while we were Beagle sitting for Molly. She was a busy, busy Beagle doing what Beagles do best- sniffing, hunting and more sniffing. She has thousands more receptors for scent than people do. So, while we might read a book, watch a movie, or do a crossword puzzle to keep our minds sharp, she sniffs.

Augie, our sweet Labradoodle, stays sharp by playing "fetch" (retrieving) the tennis ball. She can literally play that game for HOURS! She won't eat on Saturday or Sunday morning because she has to be ready to play. She only eats dinner. At that point, she is exhausted (as is my husband, her play partner) and in need of nourishment.

AH HA! The thing that keeps our dogs engaged and mentally healthy is doing the thing they were born to do. In the case of a hound dog, it is sniffing. In the case of a retriever, it is retrieving. Sheepdogs want to herd, and so it goes.

Cats like birdwatching, mouse hunting and sleeping in the sunshine. Horses like running and grazing in a field. If they are stuck inside a stall for too long a time, they can become dull witted or disengaged. Or, sometimes worse: nasty and irritable.

The best way to ensure mental health for our furry friends is to allow them to be who they were meant to be. Mental health is important to physical health.

So, what were you meant to be?