If you want to enter our house in relative peace, it’s best to come bearing gifts.

Specifically, dog food treats are most welcome. But if you’ve forgotten yours at home, no worries. I’ve attached a container of kibble right at garage door knob level. You can’t miss it coming in.

Think of it akin to entering church, where you bless yourself with holy water before entering. Kinda like ensuring good luck–

Only, here, the good luck is that if you throw the kibble for Graidy before you enter, instead of being greeted with non-stop barking and rushing, you’ll be greeted with licks and wags.

If you have a guarding or sentry dog, this is one easy step you can take to help condition your wary dog to more easily accept letting your friends into your home.

Once your friend has thrown the kibble, then you just need to remind her to stand sideways, not speak in high-pitched squeaky voices, avert her gaze, and not try to pet your dog, until your dog is calm and approaches your guest on his own. Easy Peazy.

I was recently asked by an interviewer what I’ve learned from my dogs. Since he was referring to Dogs of Dreamtime, he was specifically asking about Kiera, Magic, and Molly.

To put into context some of what I’ve learned from my animals, it helps to know that, left to my own devices, I gravitate toward intense herding breeds. Kiera is an Australian Shepherd. Graidy is a Border Collie mix. Magic was an English Shepherd mix, who died from Lyme Disease. Molly was my deaf Australian Shepherd. They all came when they were just a few months old.

I mention this because while all dogs (really all animals) offer us lessons in unconditional love, and the joys and responsibilities of companionship, herding breeds have added a whole other layer for me. Since herding dogs thrive best when they get to live as working partners, that requires a level of commitment, training, observation, and communication skills that can take us into uncharted territory if we let it. And while herding breeds aren’t for everyone, they continue to provide me with one of the most thrilling and challenging adventures I’ve ever embarked on.

Put most simply, what I’ve learned from my dogs, interestingly enough, is how to be more fully human. Which has helped me, in turn, learn how to let my dogs be more fully dogs.