Helping St. Francis at the Pet Blessing

October 4 is the Feast Day of one of the greatest animal lovers of all time, St. Francis of Assisi.  Many churches hold pet blessing services during the month.  Typically, all pets are welcome -- cats, rabbits, hamsters, ferrets, pigs, goats -- all creatures great and small!  But the event is likely to be dominated by dogs of all ages, shapes and sizes, and it's so much fun to see and meet them all and to let them meet each other.  Or is it?  Among the prayers may be a plea to St. Francis to keep our beloved pets safe.  A churchyard or parking lot full of leashed dogs with different levels of training and socialization, with different behavioral thresholds, who don't know one another, with kids running around wanting to meet all of them, could easily become a safety challenge.  For those bringing a dog to a pet blessing event this month, here are some things you can do to make Francis' job of keeping them all safe a little easier.  Notice that most of them are things to do ahead of time.  Like everything else in life, a little planning can make all the difference!

Before You Go

• Prepare a bag of your dog's highest value treats.  Toddlers bring Cheerios to church, why shouldn't your dog bring a snack?  Actually, this is is a great way to get and keep your dog's attention amid all the distractions.  If you notice your dog getting frightened, overwhelmed, stressed or over-excited, you might be able to use a treat to break the spell.
• Downsize your dog's breakfast.  If blessing time is within a couple of hours of when your dog usually eats a meal or snack, skip or downsize it so that the dog is hungry when you get there.  The treats you prepared will work better at getting the dog's attention.  Don't worry that you are depriving your dog; by the time you get to the event, the dog will forget all about it.  If you still feel guilty, you can provide an extra special treat afterward.
• Exercise your dog.  Make time for a walk or a play session before you go, so that you dog isn't bursting at the seams with pent-up energy when you arrive. 
• Make sure your dog feels well.  It's not good for your dog or the other dogs there to bring a sick dog to a group event.  You might think that's when you need the blessings most! Arrange with your pastor for a private blessing right before or right after the event, or at another time.  If that doesn't work, then do your own blessing with the prayer at the end of this post.
• Leave the retractable leash at home.  These can easily malfunction, making it difficult to keep your dog close and follow the 3-foot rule mentioned below.  They are harder to hold properly for keeping control of your dog, especially in a potentially stressful situation for your dog.  If your dog gets tangled and pulls the cord taut, it is a tripping hazard, and the cord can cause significant injury if it gets wrapped around someone's leg, someone's child or another dog and pulled tight.  Your best bet is a nylon leash no longer than 6 feet.  Use the collar or harness your dog is least able to squirm out of, and make sure it's all securely connected before you get out of the car.
• Each dog should have its own person.  No matter how accustomed you are to walking more than one dog at a time, group events might be stressful for your dogs.  If one dog needs your full attention for any reason, the others could get in trouble!  If you are bringing more than one dog, bring a person for each.
• Plan to arrive early. Get your dog used to the surroundings with a walk around, maintaining sufficient distance from the "congregation" so that you can keep your dog's attention.  Be relaxed, and communicate to your dog that this will be fun!  Practice a few obedience cues, using your high-value treats as rewards.  If your dog is a barker, an early arrival might help get it out of the dog's system before the ceremony starts.

While You Are There

• Approach at a relaxed pace.  If you sense your dog becoming nervous or too excited, pause and let your dog observe for a minute or two.  Get your dog's attention, practice some cues or just feed a treat to let your dog know everything is OK.
• No need to be on the front row!  Keep your dog at a distance where the dog can relax.  Every dog is different, but pay attention to your own dog's signals and don't worry about seeming unsociable if you think you should take a few steps back to keep your dog calm.  There is plenty of blessing to go around, even if you end up being last!
• Apply the 3-foot rule.  Don't assume it's always fun for your dog or anyone else's to meet other dogs and children up close and personal!  It might be stressful.  Try to maintain a distance of 3 feet between your dog and dogs or children you don't know well.  Let dogs meet to sniff each other only if you see relaxed posture and play bows from both dogs.  Move away from the crowd if dogs do start to play on their leashes.  The best idea might be to make a play date for a fenced area at another time.  Remember that not all children know how to approach or interact with dogs, or that they might be used to dogs that have a higher child-tolerance than yours does.  If there must be a meeting, give it your full attention and be ready to end it if your dog shows any sign of stress.
• Use your tools.   If you've been to obedience 101 or basic manners class with your dog, you probably learned "focus," "sit," "heel" and loose-leash walking.  This is one of those real-life situations where these tools come in handy.  I'm not suggesting you put on a show; just quietly make your dog comfortable by asking for and rewarding known behaviors that happen to also help you keep control of your dog and the situation!

Pet Blessing You Can Use At Home

If you're like me, you figure a blessing can't hurt and you and your pet probably need all of them you can get!  But if you can't make it to the ceremony this year because of a schedule conflict, illness (you, a family member or your dog), or some other reason, here is a common pet blessing that you can pray any place, any time:

“Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.”