What a wonderful essay, JC!
I think dogs are very like children in that they reflect their upbringing-- they can be absolute joys, or obnoxious as hell. Yours are no doubt the kind of dogs I would want my dog to bring home. Our neighbors have the sweetest golden retriever. He spends a lot of time digging his way through to us (and they spend a lot of time repairing the fence). It's really our cats, not our company, he craves. Myers and Tesh sit close to the fence and stare at him until he's in a frenzy wanting to join them, or maybe eat them. I'm not proud of my kitties, but then, cats aren't known for their hospitality and thoughtfulness.
Tesh disappeared a few weeks ago....hmm. I wonder if he got too close to the fence.
On the other side, our neighbors have two pitbull type dogs that are not socialized at all. They are in a pen. I don't know why they have them-- except as guarddogs, I guess. I am terrified they will get out and kill my cat and then me.
I didn't get the feeling that anyone here thought loving dogs was wrong or not understandable-- just that it shouldn't be placed on the same level as that of a child. I thought that woman saying that it was like watching her baby be killed, equating losing a pet to the loss of a child, offensive. But that's just me.
It WOULD be strange if you said to someone who had lost a child, "I know just how you feel, I lost my dog last month." |
