Dogs Quote by Elizabeth von Arnim
““Therefore they spent such time as I was housekeeping, eating or sleeping, alone in the greenhouse, and I had to manage as best I could when, after these intervals, I went back to them, not to be knocked over by their joyful welcome. Gradually, however, things settled down. The secret of peace with puppies, I discovered—up to then I had had only ready-made dogs (except Bijou, who doesn’t count), and had everything to learn,—is to give them a great deal of exercise, and a great deal of food. They should be gorged; regularly. Then they will sleep for hours—quite long enough, I found, in Ingo and Ivo’s case, for me to deal justly with Mr. Anstruther, against whom I had been feeling rather a grudge. This, then, was the line I took; and presently a new rug was able safely to be put in the greenhouse, and while they lay on it, stupefied by well-being, lost to the world, a relaxed heap of paws and ears and tails, with two tightly-filled bellies to point the moral, I got on, once again, with Fräulein Schmidt.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Enchanted House by Elizabeth von Arnim, 1915
The narrator learns that keeping puppies calm requires ample exercise and food, which in turn creates a peaceful environment for handling personal conflicts.
In simple terms: Exercise and feeding puppies brings calm and helps manage stress.
Provide proper care to create peace.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- pet ownership
- home environment
- personal stress
- relationship tension
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What simple routines can you establish for calm?
- How does caring for others affect your own stress?
Over‑feeding can cause health issues; balance is needed.