Who’s In Charge?

No matter what the breed, big, small, we love our dogs.

We feed them, groom them, cuddle them, and when they are sick or hurting, we try to bring them back into good health.

But when they get in a bad mood and suddenly snap at us and growl for what seems like no reason at all, that’s upsetting. Take last night for instance…

My Good Boy…

I’ve had my dog for what some say is past his life expectancy. For the most part, he’s been a really good dog. Travels without complaint. Isn’t a huge barker. Doesn’t tear anything up. And once in a while, even though by personality he’s mostly a loner, he even lets me cuddle a bit with him.

One thing my dog doesn’t like…is to be groomed. He tolerates it…sometimes. But no matter how gentle I am, he NEVER succumbs easily or enjoys it (not even with treats and praises). It’s not that I’m rough (pardon the pun) with him. He just doesn’t like being groomed.

The instigators…

However, I have found some fleas lately and so I’ve had to groom him every day. He doesn’t like it but he mostly tolerates it…until tonight.

I’ve been finding a lot of flea “dirt” and a flea here and there. When he shakes his head or “flea bites” I get the flea comb and see if I can find anything. So when he shook his head tonight, I got the flea comb. It was late and he was tired. But I knew if I let the little flea critter go, he’d make more flea critters so I had to address it.

Tired and grumpy…

When I called my dog into the kitchen, he came. As soon as he saw me get down on my knees, he turned around and walked away. When I tried to call him and make sounds to call him back, he just kept walking. He’s an old guy and can’t hear so well anymore so I never know if he doesn’t hear me, or he doesn’t WANT to hear me.

Regardless, as he turned to go into his “man cave” (his bed is in a open-door carrier where he sleeps), I tried to redirect him with my hand on his shoulder. He suddenly spun his head around, snapped at me and growled. Not cool. I realize he was tired and in no mood to be groomed, but still…not cool.

When I correctly him, he snapped at me again. Then he just kept low growling as he sat there looking at me out of the corner of his eye. Very not cool.

He proceeded to go into his carrier onto his bed. (This particular carrier is portable. It’s more like a tent with zippered doors. It has one on the top to give easy access.) I unzipped the “roof” so that he could easily see me. I sternly motioned him to get out of his carrier.

He slowly obeyed and got out. When he did, I blocked the door so he couldn’t return, then I walked away and shut my door.

Cause and consequences…

I did this not only to give him some space, but also to show him his behavior just took away his privileges of his bed, his man cave, and access to me. In his mood, he’d forgotten I am his source. I am who provides what he has and therefore he should not snip at me no matter how tired or crotchety he feels. Like the old phrase, don’t bite the hand that feeds…or in this particular instance, grooms the fleas away.

Submission…

After some cool down time alone, I eventually got him into the kitchen. He submitted to being groomed with the flea comb. Of course, by now, if there had been a flea that caused the head shake, it was now long gone into some other part of his body. Sigh. The important thing was that he submitted to my authority and care.

Reward…

Once I was done, I told him he was a good boy and led him back to his man cave. I zipped the roof closed and made sure he could see ME giving his things back as I unblocked and unzipped his door for him. As soon as the door was open, he went to bed.

My trust having been dampened, I slowly offered my hand to him and pet him. Then I placed my hand on his head and prayed for him, then said goodnight as I always do. I went to my room…this time leaving my door open.

I wonder how many times we do that to God?

God wants to take us someplace we don’t want to go…

In this case it was the kitchen, but it could be anywhere we just don’t want to go. Maybe a new town. Maybe a new job assignment. Fill in the blank.

To experience something that we don’t want to experience…

For my dog it was grooming. Many times God wants to groom the “fleas” out of our life or character, too. “Fleas” that bring discomfort and affect our physical, mental, emotional or even spiritual health. What He shows us to do isn’t always easy… but it’s for our own good, and for His good. It’s to further His purpose for us AND for His kingdom.

To bring blessing…

To bring an outcome that will bless us. For my dog, he didn’t want to go to the kitchen or have me groom him. But I knew that it was ultimately for his good. I was looking out for him. My guidance and action was to improve his health and well-being.

God knows what He’s doing.

If we fight and bite the Hand that feeds us and gives us the very life we misuse to try to bite Him by refusing His guidance, because He is just, there will be consequences.

The consequences aren’t necessarily by His hand, but a result of cause and effect.

If we’re told to take a shower and we refuse, we stink.

If we are taught to care for our “Sunday clothes“ but instead we roll around in the dirt and play hard in them, we will soon have dirty rags to wear.

If we know to put the milk in the frig but instead leave it on the counter, no matter how many times we say it’s fine, the milk will rot.

This is especially true for anyone of us who have chosen to proclaim that we are Christians. We will be held to a much higher standard, even by un-Christians who are watching.

God knows what He’s doing and why, we don’t…

Let’s not bite the Hand that feeds us.

When His door closes to us, even briefly, it is not by His choice, but by ours.

So when God wants and needs to groom us, whatever it is, let’s just let Him.

When He guides us to do something, let’s just do it.

Blessing will come.

A passing discomfort and ultimate blessing is much better than the alternative.

“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭NASB‬‬