Relationships between people and animals

Yesterday my friend’s dog died. This woman who I have known about as long as I have known my wife, did not take it well. Susan is no stranger to grief unfortunately. Some six years ago her and her husband Bob were at home alone with their dogs of course.

Susan was in the upstairs part of the house and Bob was in the lower half of the house. Susan came downstairs after calling Bob and getting no response. She found Bob lying on the ground dead. Apparently Bob had gotten a late night snack and was enjoying it in the family room and to his misfortune choked to death. Susan found Bob but it was too late to save him.

Susan moved out of their home in Smithsburg because she not bear to live in the house that her husband died in. She relocated to Sharpsburg. Susan and Bob did foster care for German Shepherds for the local humane society. She would care for these dogs and help find homes for them. She packed her dogs and moved to Sharpsburg.

Susan’s dog was acting a little odd. She took the dog outside to the yard and went back in the house to get something, upon her return she found the dog had expired. Such sad commentary for Susan given her past experience with death. Have we as a people gone to far as far as our pets are concerned? Should we grieve our pets like we would grieve a loved one?

I have seen the stigma of little old ladies that set out pictures of their pets that have moved on into the after life. They talk about the pets as if they were alive yesterday when actually years have passed since the death of their beloved “Sparky”. Afraid to face letting go, and trying with all zeal to hold on to everything related. O.K. lets not give little old ladies a bad wrap. I would guess that the loss of their spouse was the event that left her with a “Sparky” to begin with.

Probably in most cases the lost spouse had been replaced by the dog and letting go of the dog would mean letting go of the lost spouse. Little old ladies battle loneliness, improper coupon usage at the grocery store, them big white shoes they wear to church, the occasional Jehovah witness that comes lurking at the door, how bout all them game shows that come on in the day. They got enough problems and besides my mother is one. And yes she has a dog she swears is a people.

I have no choice but to confess my own obscurity. I am a dogless man, a man that leaves the house with two legs instead of six with an extra slobbering tongue. I do not currently have a dog as a pet .I have in the past though. I know, I know the past dog ownership thing doesn’t count unless I have my house enshrined with pictures of past pooches, and babble on about how my life is not complete because I have no dog. The dog owner says “I know your life is not complete because you have no dog,” as if to tarry a line of insult upon my person, “You mindless, senseless, dogless person, how dare you!

Look I see those pet owners walking past my house all the time face buried deep in a magazine or book with dog underfoot trolling the sidewalk for the perfect patch of grass, hopefully not in my yard, with plastic baggie on one hand. Yeah! Thats right buddie I know what you do with that baggie. In most cases the baggie is just for show. As if the local animal control were to show up on the scene and ask for your dog credentials, you got that baggie to prove you are a pooper scooper.

Quite often the baggie is for Joe homeowner, when Sparky makes his deposit, the dog owner will look closely at the house and case the joint, you can tell that pet owner is struggling with the plastic baggie dilemma. You see they got that baggie but they do not wish to use it. If it appears as if no one is home then after Sparky has made that deposit there will be a quick strided departure with clean baggie in tact. And if you find Joe home owner cleaning up that land mind on your way back you can simply raise your clean baggie as if to state “wasn’t my dog.”

Beyond the baggie dilemma my petless contention can be broken down into a few variables. First, I rent my duplex I do not own it. I am sidled with the concerns and wishes of my landlord. My lease states “No Pets” and here I must abide. I thought this kind of odd because my landlord has multiple pets, cats and dogs. Every time I have been to his house I am always first greeted by one of his cats or dogs. But this man knows the damage a dog can do to a home. Now now don’t get offended lets be honest.

The problem of landlord opposed to pet owner goes way back. Landlord: “Your dog chewed a hole in my fence!” Tenant (Pet owner): “Well, it’s not that big of a hole really, anyway like I told you before my dog is not a dog he is a people and that hole in the fence would have to fall under the wear and tare clause.” Yes, yes I know how you feel but people is people and dogs is dogs. This kind of confrontation no doubt brought about the “No Pet” clause my landlord exercises.

I was on the phone one night with my mother and she explained that she had to take her dog to a boarding kennel so he could figure out he was a dog. Try not to laugh. She continued to explain that the dog thought he was a person that was physically challenged. The dog had full clarity that it could not open doors, eat at the dinner table or the use of thumbs. Simply because it was physically challenged. O.K. lets not pick on mom.

This woman has a brass rooster she display’s on her coffee table. Mom has a hat for every holiday that goes on the rooster complete with outfit of course. The St. Patrick hat and outfit are a little loud but some things I refuse to contend with when it comes to my mother. Mom apparently believes the trip to the kennel for the dog was quite beneficial. Her statement: “When he came back from the kennel he knew he was a dog because he got to socialize with other dogs.” “He now knows his purpose.”

I was half tempted to suggest that maybe the dog thought you put him in a place with other physically challenged people so he would feel better about himself. Na, don’t want to yank mom”s chain too much., she might have a run with one of those Jehovah witnesses, got to encourage her strengths. Save it for coupon clipping.

I got to put this in perspective. I live in a duplex, the two dogs that live next to me are Chester and Flip two Jack Russell terriers, to the right of the Jack Russell’s lives a beagle named Barney. To my left live a big chocolate Lab named Brinkley and directly behind me live Bandit a husky mix. I enjoy the company of all these dogs. Dogs love to be loved and they give back so much in return. My mom has a Cocker Spaniel named Coby, my sister has two dogs a female Sheltie named Sandy and a Black Lab, Newfy mix named Precious. I have a brother who breeds and runs a Mastiff rescue and two other brothers, one with a Beagle named Sandy and one with a Basset hound named Sassy.

What’s ironic is that I have nine children, I can tell you all their names but I can only tell you about half of their birthday’s. I know, I know this weakness in my memory only gives my wife more elation at the opportunity to point this fact out to visiting folk. I just smile at her and kindly remind her that I will be the one polishing her white shoes for church some day. I can remember all those dogs but can not tell you all the birth dates of my children. Let me answer that other question that I know is nagging you right now. Yes I do know my Anniversary date, I am not a total loss.

It seems the mind easily remembers points of joy like a slobbering dog with a smile on his face. Yes dogs do smile and from my past dog owner experience I know this. Yes, I know this does not keep me out of the dog house over being a dogless man but it allows me to at least be on the same page with you baggie donners. It has been medically proven that dog ownership will lead to a longer healthier life. Dogs are a great source of companionship, guarding the home or family and a shoe in when there aren’t enough doll babies for the tea party any little princess may have.

In this world that has become so disposable, dogs should not be disposed of easily by any true owner. We need to adjust our lives to the need of our dog. You have to take in mind they live roughly about 15 years or greater, they may need to be kenneled when the family goes on vacation. Better yet take Sparky on vacation with you he is part of the family. Dogs need attention and trips to the vet once in a while and above all your love.

Statistic’s show that last year people in the United States spent more money on pet food than money donated to feed the homeless. Does this mean we should feed the homeless dog? Na, but maybe we should take the responsibility of pet ownership a little more serious.Instead of looking for some fancy pedigree that you will spend way too much money on try shopping at an animal shelter. Shelter dogs are great, I have had a couple. They are waggly, wiggly and loveable. They will keep your home happy for years to come because they give such great returns.

Though dogs are not people I can easily see how people come to see them in that light. Well, I have to enshrine my house with pictures of my pooches to strengthen my credibility and polish my wife’s shoes for church. Remember it’s not the size of the baggie you have on your hand, it”s what’s in it that counts.