Megusta
Having a pet would give you tremendous joy and benefits, but also comes with big responsibility. Therefore, many people may wonder: “Is it really worth it? It’s just a pet”. According to Lucille aka Notidee – a French artist, the answer is a clear yes, and she even wrote a comic to support her opinion.
More info: Facebook | Twitter | Patreon (h/t: boredpanda)
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In March, she tweeted a comic titled “It’s just a dog”, referring to a sentence some people might say to her dog, Neos. The simple yet adorable story portrays Neos’s personality and daily life, as well as his beautiful bond with Notidee. No sooner than a day after the release, the comic unexpectedly went viral, with over 170K likes and 48K retweets.
Notidee is an independent illustrator living in Strasbourg, France. She has worked with animals her whole life, but her dedication to be an artist was only official when she became a wildlife mediator/illustrator for the French equivalent of Birdlife. “I work on many fronts artistically speaking, and am currently putting most of my energy into an upcoming visual novel called [Kernel],” she said.
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Neos is a five years old Japanese Spitz, who came to Notidee at three months old and “single-handedly shattered my world”, as she said. He has some health concerns, particularly reactivity issues, forcing Notidee to relearn everything she thought she knew about dogs from scratch.
According to the American Kennel Club, aggression and reactivity are sometimes confused. However, reactive dogs have a tendency to respond excessively to particular stimuli or situations. Reactivity can be caused by genetics, a lack of socialization, insufficient training to develop self-control, a terrifying experience, or a combination of these factors, with fear being the most common driver. Dogs may be reactive to the environment, people, animals, other dogs, noises, movement, or any combination of the above. Common behaviors of reactivity are barking and lunging. Reactivity is not aggression but can escalate and affect both your dog’s health and the way you take care of them.
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Is there a cure for reactivity? Janet Finlay, the owner, trainer, and coach at Canine Confidence, says this is the wrong question. Dogs reacting to the environment is not a disease, it is their fundamental survival mechanism, the same goes with humans, which all react when under danger. Humans can fight back, flee, freeze or try to escape through deceit, and dogs can also behave in such ways. Therefore, it is essential to clarify that responding to a threat is normal and does not need a cure. More importantly, what we need to do is to teach our dogs that these activities and items are not a threat to them.
“Reactivity and resource guarding can put both owner and pet in danger if worked on without the help of a professional behaviorist”, Notidee explained. When working on reactivity, we concentrate on behavior examination, which is about desensitizing them on progress by giving them choice and time to get used to activities. We also prioritize fun games so they can relax and engage in more fun memories.
“I started studying animal behavior (particularly medical training, behavior analysis and modification) to improve Neos’s life and give him the ability to make choices whenever possible,” Notidee explained. Notidee’s dedication has healed Neos both physically and mentally, and she is able to discover a new field she can dig deeper and be passionate about besides art.”
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The love for the comic was overwhelming, Notidee delightfully said: “I have been flooded with messages from pet owners around the world telling me about the animals they share their lives with and how this comic conveyed the way they felt about their dogs, cats, birds, and other critters.”
“Dedicated pet owners, and in particular those tending for the needs of reactive or more fragile animals, will usually puzzle their entourage by the amount of work, money, and time they will put into making life a little easier for their pets. I had the hope that this comic could help build a bridge between Neos and I, and the people around us who struggle to understand us, but didn’t think the message would resonate with so many.”
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Notidee’s word is very inspiring, but her comic was the star of the show, as it shows the perfect example of how to backfire at those who doubt your effort in taking care of your pets, and demonstrates Neos and his wholesome relationship with his owner who loves and treasures him so much, Notidee.
Some of the audience’s wholesome reaction to the comic:
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“It’s just a pet”, no, pets are friends, your companions, your family, so please give them love, safety, and commitment!
