I mentioned that I am a dog lover....and a writer....I wrote the following story quite awhile ago and thought I would share it. I hope you enjoy it.
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This is about dogs.
If you are a cat lover you may not understand what it is that makes us dog people so passionate about our pets.
Maybe I can explain.
I'm certainly not anti-cat--I've been owned by a few of the members of the furry, arrogant little green-eyed species myself! But there is just something about a dog that brings out the nurturing side of us dog-lovers.
Cats are independent. You can fill a couple of bowls with food and water, put down a clean litterbox and leave for a day or two without greeting disaster upon your return. (Cat won't be happy about your absence, but will deal with it.) Try that with a dog and you will learn the true meaning of disaster . Puppy-face is definitely not happy about your absence and will not hesitate to let you know it! (And, let's face it, dogs do not normally use a litterbox, so that right there is a problem.)...leaving a dog alone for a day or two is like leaving a two year old alone...not a good idea on so many levels!
Dogs were never meant to be left alone for long periods of time anyway. It is my opinion...as well as the opinions of all the dogs I've talked to...that if you are going to have a dog he should be in your home, on your bed and in your face...not chained up in the back yard, or confined to a cage just because you don't want to be bothered properly training him when he's a puppy...or locked in the basement, or any other room away from the family. Why have a dog at all if you will not allow him to be a part of your family? What's the point? I am most bothered by people who chain up their dogs outside in all kinds of weather. They tell me they want their dogs to "protect their property". I say: to heck with the property..protect ME! Property can be replaced. I want my dog right beside me..especially at night..so that if there's an intruder in the house I have some warning..and I want my loyal dog between that intruder and me so I can have some time to protect us.
When you bring a dog into your life it's the same commitment as having a child! If you are unwilling to make that commitment, please..do the prospective dog a favor and don't bring one into your life. It will be an unhappy situation. Don't think you can get a puppy, put him in a cage and then go to work and be gone for ten hours or more, take him out when you get home and on weekends, and half-heartedly train him, and then expect him to automatically get the house-training concept and be a good companion...won't happen. No consistancy. And, by the way, how would you feel if you were put into a cage for twelve hours and not allowed to relieve yourself? Or drink water? Or eat? Does that sound okay to you? If we did that to the worst of the criminals in our justice system there would be such an outcry...so why would it be okay for our dogs?
There are so many reasons to bring a dog into your home, but if you make this decision you must give a lot of thought to what kind of dog will fit your lifestyle.
If your home is a showplace with expensive furnishings and knick-knacks, you better pass on the cute little puppy that will grow up into Monster Dog faster than you can say Marmaduke! Better get one you can hold in one hand...a little Yorkshire Terrier is great for that.
On the other hand, if you have kids, a casual home and space to run, go for the gold: a big, slurpy slavering hairy beast that doesn't care if the kids think he's a horse! The memories you will all have and the pictures you will take of those romps with the dog will be priceless!
Either way, take into consideration the fact that most dogs shed..some more than others. Big deal..that's what vacuums are for!
They get muddy paw prints on your nice clean floors. They jump up on the furniture and leave perfect paw prints there too....and they are like babies and demand every bit as much attention...especially during the first year. The good news is that they never turn into surly, rebellious teenagers...they can be loved and forgiven a lot just for that reason alone! And once you get them past the first year puppy stage, your patient, loving training during that period will result in the most wonderful companion you could ever ask for.
What other animal has the heart, intelligence and loyalty to throw himself into the face of death to protect his family? That's why police officers use dogs. That's why there are seeing eye dogs, and dogs who save people's lives every day when the dogs have special talents to alert their owners in the event of a seizure or a heart attack.
Dogs can find skiers who have been buried by an avalanche..in time to save them....think about how long it takes to suffocate and then you may know how remarkable that is!
Wouldn't you want a dog on your side if you were in trouble?
There are drug and bomb sniffing dogs who save lives every day. There are dogs who can detect a cancerous tumor on humans at an early enough stage so that the person can get treatment in time to save their lives. There are therapy dogs who go into nursing homes and hospitals, giving comfort and love, and making such a difference in the lives of shut-ins. These wonderful creatures just know when they are needed and rise to the occasion. I don't know of any other animals that are so amazing. They are truly a gift from God...how else can you explain them? And if they are indeed a gift from God, shouldn't we treat them as such?
We can learn so much from dogs. I don't know of too many other creatures that display such joy and exuberance for the simple things in life. They don't care about money. They don't need expensive toys. They forgive us our sins and never bring up those sins again....how many humans do you know who will do that?!
They make us laugh and forget our troubles. And when we come home from a rough day at work feeling discouraged, they greet us as if we are the most wonderful, most important person in the world EVERY time. No bad moods for these guys. They have a healing effect on us....just looking into those beautiful, loving eyes and petting them brings down our blood pressure. That is a proven medical fact.
I have had dogs all my life. I've had Irish Setters, Golden Retrievers, a Border Collie, an Alaskan Huskie, Cocker Spaniels and German Shepherds.
One of our most memorable dogs was a purebred white German Shepherd dickens named "Rocket"....nicknamed "Rocket Launch".....because from the time he was a puppy until he was a little over a year old his favorite trick was to stick both front paws and his nose...up to his eyes...into his water dish, take one or two gulps and then run at top speed into the family room where he'd leap onto the couch and plop down, dripping and grinning. Then, when we'd demand that he get down, he would explode into a breakneck run in a circle around the couch, through the living room, the kitchen, back into the family room and back up onto the couch again, over and over until he was finally tired enough of the game so that he would settle down and rest. We would be exhausted just watching him!
But, for all the aggravation while he was a puppy, as he grew up, he turned out to be the most wonderful, most protective, smartest, well-behaved dog anyone could ever ask for! Love, patience and training were the keys.
He loved his "brother", too...a four year old Cocker Spaniel named "Flag" who, most of the time, put up with this wild youngster's merciless teasing. (Flag got his name because of his unbobbed tail which waved like....a flag.) Despite their radically different breeds, sizes, temperments and ages, Rocket and Flag shared food, water, toys and the attention of all of us without much conflict. Watching the two of them together was truly like watching two close brothers. Flag tended to get testy occasionally, but Rocket would gently nudge and tease him until Flag decided to play.
In the evenings when things settled down, they would curl up together, dozing, Rocket's front paw draped protectively across Flag's back. Many times I would see Rocket gently washing Flag's face like a mother with her baby. Never could they be apart or each would cry and whine until they were together again.
At night, they both would sleep on my bed, guarding me, making me feel safe, secure and protected. Heaven pity the poor fool stupid enough to have attempted to violate our home, for they'd have received a nasty surprise!
Rocket and Flag lived long and happy lives and when it was time to say good-by to them we grieved and missed them for quite awhile. But, eventually, feeling empty without a dog sharing our lives, we brought another into our home.
No creature on earth will give you more unquestioned, unconditional, undying love and loyalty than your dog. All he asks in return is your love, kindness and space in your heart, home and life.
Never will you get so much for so little!
Please remember your local animal shelter when you make the decision to bring a companion into your life.......AND PLEASE....SPAY OR NEUTER!! Doing so prolongs your pet's life and prevents more unwanted animals from suffering the fate of homelessness and euthanasia.
