Northern Wyoming News - Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years

A few years ago on Facebook I read a story about a young child trying to select the right puppy at the shelter. Each puppy she picked up her father would look at her and she would say no. He asked what she wanted and she said puppy size or so he heard. One day she picked up a puppy and he snuggled her neck and she said this is the one. Her father asked why and she said puppy sighs. Puppies and dogs sigh when they are relaxed, comfortable, happy and content. It truly is a wonderful sound.

People sigh when, exasperated, frustrated or tired, and on rare occasion when relaxing. Dogs sigh when they are happy.

Cats don’t sigh but they purr, another sign from the animal kingdom that they are happy and content.

For a pet owner there is no greater joy than those sighs or purrs. When I get home at night after a long day at work I get comfortable on the couch and our oldest dog comes next to me to snuggle she settles in and lets out a long sigh as if to say this is what she has waited for all day and now she is content. I smile and know … life is good.

It brings me joy when I visit our two outdoor cats and all it takes is one little pet and their motors are going ... purring away as if to say “hello, we are happy to see you.”

There are many other pet sounds that bring joy and smiles to my soul. Nothing lowers my stress level more than being greeted by a happy pet.

Our youngest dog is the most vocal dog we’ve ever had. She greets us when we get home from work with a sound unique to her, a kind of whine/purr/sigh rolled into one, but we know she is saying she’s glad we’re home.

I came home earlier this week for a dinner break. It had been long day. I watched the dogs as they greeted me and smiled. I took them outside for a few minutes and watched them run and play and wondered how people without pets survive.

I look forward each night to my purrs and puppy sighs.