Dogs VS. Humans

Human nature never ceases to amaze me. Never. The older I get the harder it is to not give up all faith in human beings as being even semi-decent.

Several days ago I met someone. He is shedding a unique light on the people in the community where I live, and a unique light on my own life.

But first, a little background info. (Think of this as a commercial after the opening credits.)

I have always been notorious for dragging home every sick and abandoned creature. I have taken home cats, dogs, baby rabbits, even people. As a child, I can recall countless times that I was threatened with bodily harm with saving animals from an uncertain death. Especially when those rescued bunnies were accidently freed from their homes and ran free in my mothers house. It's a miracle that I was ever allowed to have a pet. It's a miracle that my mother didn't kill me, it also makes me understand why some mothers eat their children at birth.

The older that I have gotten, the more practical I have become. I go into the adoption center at Petsmart everytime I'm there, and my heart breaks for each of the dogs in the cages, waiting, hoping, to find their permanent family. I would go in each and every day and take them all home with me, if I could. I just quit picking up strays, it breaks your heart to let them go. I try to feed them and water them, and let them wander on. I often call animal control and try to get them saved from being ran over.

Apparently my husband is just starting this adopting stray animals phase.

We were coming home for the grocery store a few evenings ago, when he saw two dogs. One of which was a female, probably a year old. She was full of energy, and puppiness. You know that phase, doesn't listen, acts like a teenager. Chews on everything. But there was this other guy. Who, to my naked eye, appears to be a full blood, or really close full blood boxer. He was older, you could tell by the gray around his eyes and muzzle. And the minute I saw him through the pickup window, I knew he was in bad shape. I have never, in my entire life, even on animal planet, seen a dog that skinny. Yet, that sweet, and happy. You could see each vertebra in his back, as well as the "spaces" between, where his spinal cord is. You could see each rib, protruding through skin, that it was amazing, it hadn't torn the skin and was poking through. Did you know that dogs have a point on the top of there head? They do. Because you could see the top of his skull. Bad shape is an understatement. So we did, what any "decent" human being would do. We picked them up, and took them home.

I have two dogs at home. Both miniature schnauzers, Prancer, is tiny, and sweet, and he weighs around 20 pounds. Blaze, the female, is not so tiny, and not so sweet. She has an attitude, and a slight weight problem. She weighs about as much as a mack truck, well, ok, maybe not QUITE that much, but about 35 pounds. According to wikipedia a typical male boxer should weigh 65-99 pounds. He might, just might, tip the scales at 25-30 pounds. He has stepped on my barefoot twice with all of his weight, and Blaze weighs more then he does.

We called animal control, because we knew that with two dogs already, we really couldn't keep him.

Animal control said that they would hold him for 3 days in hopes of the owner claiming him. Then, because he has no teeth, is old, and the poor shape he was in, he would be put to sleep, because "no one in their right mind would want to mess with him." I told the person answering the phone that when they got old and had poor teeth, that he needed to be put to sleep too. Called him several names, that I won't repeat here.

So please take good care of your teeth, because apparently when you, as a person, get to be "too" much trouble, you can be put to sleep. Who knew!?!?!

Wait. That's not right. It's OK for people to be old and a burden, but not a dog?What is wrong with this world that there isn't someone out there with a big enough heart, who doesn't mind going a little out of there way, to save another soul.

Yeah, and here is where you are going to tell me that it's a dog, to get over it.

And here is where I'm going to pleasantly tell you where to shove that idea.

He has a heart, a soul, he feels hurt, cold, warmth, love, pain, fear, a good back scratching, the effects of a kind word, the effects of cruelty. Don't you feel those too? So what does that make you? Better than him?

This dog, has yet to bark, growl or do anything, but love us, and shown us both, as well as our other dogs affection. He has done nothing, but asked for some dignaty, and maybe a little decency in return.

Isn't that all we ask as a person? For some kindness, compassion, love. How is he any different?

What is so wrong with people that they can't stop and save someone in need? They sure want someone to come "save" them, when they need it.

So what is so special about this dog?

Absolutely nothing. Yet, at the same time absolutely everything. He knows no stranger, his tail is constantly wagging, and he is always hoping for a scratch on the neck right behind his ears. Because you see, he can't sit down and scratch there like a normal dog, because his hip bones dig into the ground and cause him, what I can only imagine, as intense pain.

Yet, in the few short days that he has been here, he has reminded me that there is more to life than school and work. He has reminded me that while those things are important, there are other things, that are equally, if not more important. Perhaps, it wasn't coincidence that he crossed our paths. Perhaps, he was sent here, at a time, when I was doubting my own capabilities. Perhaps, he is reminding me, of the person that I want to be. The one that doesn't have anything to do with a college education.

Too bad there aren't more people in the world like him. Can you imagine the kind of world we would live in? I can only imagine that it's what heaven will be like.


I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive. ~Gilda Radner

I think we are drawn to dogs because they are the uninhibited creatures we might be if we weren't certain we knew better. They fight for honor at the first challenge, make love with no moral restraint, and they do not for all their marvelous instincts appear to know about death. Being such wonderfully uncomplicated beings, they need us to do their worrying. ~George Bird Evans

I talk to him when I'm lonesome like; and I'm sure he understands. When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat. For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that. ~W. Dayton Wedgefarth

My goal in life is to be as good of a person my dog already thinks I am. ~Author Unknown

The more I see of man, the more I like dogs. ~Mme. de Staël

The dog is a gentleman; I hope to go to his heaven, not man's. ~Mark Twain

If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience. ~Woodrow Wilson

You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us. ~Robert Louis Stevenson