Words of Woofdom
A collection of thoughts on Man’s Best Friend
In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." -- Edward Hoagland
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
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like: When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy. Take naps. Stretch before rising. Run, romp, and play daily. Thrive on attention and let people touch you. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do. On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently. ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!
A Dog's Purpose? (from a
6-year-old). Being a
veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old
Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his
wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very
attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a
miracle. I examined
Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family
we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform
the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their
home. As we made
arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be
good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They
felt as though Shane might learn something from the
experience. The next day, I
felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker 's family
surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog
for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what
was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped
peacefully away. The little boy
seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty
or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's
Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives
are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had
been listening quietly, piped up, ''I know why.''
Startled, we
all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned
me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has
changed the way I try and live. He
said,''People
are born so that they can learn how to live a good life --
like loving everybody all the time and being nice,
right?'' The
six-year-old continued,''Well,
dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to
stay as long.''
A Dogs Soul
Every dog must have a soul
Some where deep
inside
Where all his
hurts and grievances
Are buried with
his pride.
Where he
decides the good and bad,
The wrong way
from the right,
And where his
judgment carefully
Is hidden from
our sight.
A dog must have
a secret place
Where every
thought abides,
A sort of close
acquaintance that
He trusts in
and confides.
And when
accused unjustly for
Himself, He
cannot speak,
Rebuked, He
finds within his soul
The comfort he
must seek.
He'll love,
tho'he is unloved,
And he'll serve
tho'baly used,
And one kind
word will wipe away
The times when
he's abused.
Although his
heart may break into
His love will
still be whole,
Because God
gave to every dog
An
understanding Soul! –author unknown
“Heaven
goes by favor; if is goes by merit, you would stay out your
dog would go in.” Mark Twain
This is the full version of Eugene O'Neill's The Last Will
and Testament of An Extremely Distinguished Dog, which he
wrote to console his wife Carlotta shortly before their dog
Blemie's death from the illnesses of old age:
http://www.eoneill.com/texts/blemie/contents.htm
"For those who
love dogs, it would be the worst form of a lie to call any
place where dogs were banned "Paradise." Certainly no
loving God would separate people from their canine friends
for eternity."
Stanley Coren
“He
is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You
are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours,
faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe
it to him to be worthy of such
devotion."-Unknown
We
do not have to wait for Heaven, to be surrounded by hope,
love, and joyfulness. It is here on earth and has four
legs!
There is an Indian legend which says when a human dies
there is a bridge they must cross to enter heaven. At the
head of that bridge there awaits every animal that human
encountered during their lifetime. The animals, based on
what they know of this person, decide which humans may
cross the bridge . . . and which are turned away . . .