Dogs and Boys

» Dan_Ellsworth - Ah ... memories.

On a farm, it was easy to give a dog the room it needed. We always had a dog on the farm, and though they were "staff" (helping bring the cows in), they were also something like family. Dogs had a sensitivity to my moods that made them good company. One dog would look at me pleadingly as I ate a dry shredded wheat biscuit from my hand as I walked. Time after time, if I offered a piece of it, he (occasionally she) would sniff it, leave at it, and resume the hungry-dog routine. But that's OK, we humans had our oddities, too.

One great things about dogs: To a dog, you are somebody, practically a celebrity. I think that's something people need, to be somebody to somebody. That has to include humans, but dogs just take it up a level.

We only have a cat now - and goldfish. A cat might accept you as her near-equal, but that's about it. It's hard to get a cat into your fan club.

A possible prayer for a person with dogs: Lord, help me be the person my dog thinks I am.

-- posted by Dan_Ellsworth

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» rahunter_nf - What Happened?

Amy, you asked, "Would it be the right thing to introduce a dog to the boys and have it not be with us long?"

I can relate to your concern. Our family includes two children and two dogs. The dogs were already here when the children were born, and so the children have grown up viewing the dogs as part of the family. One of our dogs has had physical problems for a couple years and won't likely be around much longer. We're concerned over how the children will handle his death.

Of course, I'm also concerned over how I'll handle it. Except when my wife is in the kitchen, the dog is wherever I am when I'm in the house. Right now he's lying at my feet at I write this on our family computer in the living room.

Did you get the dog? How did things work out?

-- posted by rahunter_nf

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