I love dogs!
To be honest, I love most dogs more than I like most people. A dog in distress breaks my heart more than a person in distress (remember, I’m a bit of a misanthrope).
The thing is, dogs don’t understand like people do.
Dogs, famously, will lick the hand that hits them. (I couldn’t watch Lassie when I was a kid; I was always afraid something would happen to her!)
No other animal on Earth is as domesticated and as interactive with humans as dogs.
Cats co-exist and share our space, but remain just a bit aloof and feral. Fish are fun to look at, but they really suck at fetch. It’s even harder to walk them! Birds… I don’t get birds. I know some people really love them, but to me they’re feathered dinosaurs hiding in trees. Birds are food. Nor do I grok the fascination with spiders, snakes and lizards. Again, not so good at the fetching, not so good at the walking.
The way I like to think of it is that, ages ago, we brought dogs into the warmth and light of our home fires and forged a deal with them. For food, shelter and security they provide unconditional love, protection, companionship, assistance and endless, boundless joy.
To know joy, play with a puppy. To know total joy, play with a pack of puppies. There is almost no experience on earth that compares.
Here are some of my dog-related posts:
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- Sad Day; Perfect Day — a great day with Samantha.
- Dog Tales: Games — memories of Sam.
- Dog Tales: Memories — more memories of Sam.
- Sam’s Final Walk — the disposition of Sam’s ashes.
- Sam’s Song — a little ditty for Samantha.
- Big Yawn! — nothing like a sleeping dog!
- Ow! — I got stung, but at least Bentley didn’t.
- OU812! — the time Bentley ate a dishtowel…
- Dog Gone Delightful! — dog-sitting Bentley.
- Four Days of the Dog — dog-sitting Rosie.
- Old Dogs Know Tricks — lastly, a joke.
Here are some pages (which are not original with me), that honor our furry friends:
- Rainbow Bridge
- The Best Place to Bury a Dog
- If you can…
- Learn From Dogs
- The Dog Rules
- Dog Complaints
And here are some pictures of some of the great dogs from my life:
Logos con carne 
August 28th, 2012 at 7:10 pm
Thank you so much for sharing! I love this. The red chewy! (Is that a Kong?) Now I have to go hug my dog. He says many thanks. 🙂
August 28th, 2012 at 7:39 pm
Glad you liked it! The three sub-pages are long-time favorites of mine, and the Rainbow Bridge one touches me profoundly!
If you mean the red chewy in the lower picture in front of the TV, yep, that’s a Kong. Greatest dog toy ever! Mine loved the crazy way it bounces like an animal trying to escape. (The red bone in the upper pic is one of those corn starch things they can eat.)
(Do you know about the trick of putting a treat or peanut butter inside? Keeps them busy for a while, and some have suggested their genetics are more tuned for working for food than just finding it in dish.)
December 12th, 2012 at 9:24 pm
Kongs are the only toy our 80lb. American bulldog can’t destroy, and the pb trick helped get him over his separation anxiety when we first adopted him; love ’em!
December 13th, 2012 at 12:43 am
Oh, yes! Those Kongs are amazing! Tons of fun with the crazy bouncing, too!
September 15th, 2012 at 5:01 pm
I feel the same way so very often – my dogs are my family and they are very dear to me, just as my human family is. And there’s nothing wrong with that!
September 16th, 2012 at 3:07 am
They’re such amazing creatures! I’m convinced my Lab had a sense of humor (just like her daddy). We used to play such fun games together. (I’ve got a post about her planned for early October. Hope you’ll stay tuned!)
September 16th, 2012 at 8:08 am
I will for sure!
December 27th, 2012 at 5:12 am
What a lovely post, truly this touched me ( I am about to read your other posts in a min) My dogs are like my babies, they are ten years old now and I adore them ( they are Boxers). this post is lovely . Ceri
December 27th, 2012 at 10:00 am
Hello Ceri! Welcome! Thanks for dropping by and commenting. I see we have a conversation ahead; looks like you’ve been exploring!! 🙂
And I see you’re a fellow dog-lover. They are so, so amazing! From everything I’ve heard Boxers are great dogs. Very loving and loyal. Over the years I’ve had a Beagle, a Keeshond (pictured), a Belgium Shepard, a Great Dane, a Cocker-Poodle and my beloved Black Lab, Sam. Currently I have,… [sigh] some spiders living in various out of the way nooks. (I’m close to early retirement; I can be a dog daddy again! Work is too demanding right now—I barely have time to even blog, let alone make up with a dog for being gone all day.)
But I digress. Welcome! Nice t’ meecha! Enjoy the site!!
February 14th, 2013 at 2:53 am
thank you for reminding me. I re read. funny its the first time we spoke, i can hardly write, but I wanted to respond to you. thank you for being here. x
February 14th, 2013 at 9:05 am
Don’t worry about responding; just know my thoughts are with you. I remember, so I know how much this hurts. Love yourself and Jack. You both need and deserve it. Hang in there, Sugar! [] [] [] <–hugs
July 3rd, 2014 at 6:27 pm
I love Border Collies – bitches more so than dogs, but both.
I particularly love Nellie the Border Collie; though she unexpectedly died in the night 6 weeks ago.
She gave me more affection than any other being ever has.
Heartbroken.
July 3rd, 2014 at 6:32 pm
Oh, my condolences, no doubt she left a huge hole! Funny you should mention that breed; I was over at a friend’s house last night playing with their two new Border Collie pups (brother and sister). I have several scratches on my arm — joyfully obtained from their sharp little puppy claws.
Bury her in your heart, and she will always come, until you meet again on the Rainbow Bridge.
July 3rd, 2014 at 6:38 pm
So sweet of you – many thanks. I had to look up a reference to Rainbow Bridge – what a lovely idea; can’t wait. Very many thanks WS; I know you know what this means. Hariod.
July 3rd, 2014 at 6:46 pm
I know all too well!
I have sub-pages from the Dogs page regarding both references:
Rainbow Bridge
To Bury a Dog
Two pieces I really cherish!
July 4th, 2014 at 6:13 am
Duly visited – many thanks.
August 7th, 2015 at 9:07 pm
Ditto on just about everything except the birds. I had two birds in my life. One was a little rascal named Elvis…didn’t care for him much. He was just a bird. The other, however, was a little parakeet who won my heart. Just before I came home from school, he’d come out and stand on top of his cage and start chirping. Loudly. I could hear him before I came through the door. Then I’d open the door and he’d fly to my shoulder and hang out there or on my head for hours. He liked being petted and even game me little kisses with his tiny tongue. Sometimes he’d fall asleep on my chest while I watched TV and stroked his head. He also came when I called his name, even when I took him outside. They can be pretty amazing…or pretty edible. I guess it just depends. 🙂
August 7th, 2015 at 9:15 pm
One thing I always have to be careful about is how often a passionate statement of my personal views can be taken by some as a statement of what’s (objectively) right or wrong. I try to be very clear when I do mean that sort of thing, but unless clearly marked, it’s just my taste with no judgement applied to anyone else. Whatever pets float your boat is A-Okay.
But, obviously, only dogs are the “Right” sort of pets. XD XD XD
Aren’t birds messy? Was your ‘keet housebroken?
Have you gotten to the Pterry Psnippets #1 post, yet? There’s a quote there about rabbits and lambs that really cracked me up. Waistcoats, indeed! 😀
August 8th, 2015 at 12:25 pm
I knew you were just being hyperbolic. Nothing wrong with that. 🙂
My keet was a bit of a mess, but it was mostly because he chewed up furniture. Funny thing, he’d never crap on me, but sometimes he’d fly over to my dad, crap on him, then fly back to me!
Unless they poo while flying, there’s not much mess. Mine never did that for some reason. He sometimes pooped on things, but it was just a little tiny turd that was easy to clean. Mostly he saved it for his cage.
Will check out your post!
August 8th, 2015 at 12:29 pm
Oh, duh! I did check that one out. I just didn’t remember the title of the post.