Painting by Belynda Wilson Thomas

The greatest fear dogs know is the fear that you will not come back when you go out the door without them. Stanley Coren

Last night was another great night with the girls at our book club meeting. We hardly mentioned the book. We caught up with each other, talked, laughed, and supported each other.

The book club buddy who lost her dog last year now has two pups. The second one came because a young woman could not look after the puppy she was given as a gift. She didn’t really want a puppy but her boyfriend gave her one as a present. She grew to love the puppy but the relationship ended. She was not able to care for the dog adequately because she works long hours. After deep soul searching she found a new home for the puppy she’d grown to love.

It sounds like the most wonderful thing in the world to give someone a basket and a little head pops out and immediately there’s puppy love. Who doesn’t love a puppy? They grow into dogs and responsibility. They don’t fit into everyone’s life.

Buying a kitten or puppy on impulse, or accepting one as a gift is not the best way to acquire a pet. It should be the result of a long conversation. When we were kids on the farm someone came by and played with a litter of kittens, could they have one? The next day my sister found the kitten crawling in the grass beside her school. She scooped up the kitten and brought it back home.

Dad brought home two pups someone left at the side of the road. My son brought home a little black kitten when he was quite young; we said he couldn’t keep it. I still feel guilty because no one else wanted that kitten.

When we take on the responsibility of a pet it is a big responsibility. I’m not one that feels we need to be willing to incur enormous vet bills and do cancer treatments. But, we need to be willing to the best of our ability to provide a home for the long term when we decide to bring pets into our life.

The fidelity of a dog is a precious gift demanding no less binding moral responsibilities than the friendship of a human being. Konrad Lorenz

A friend and her husband take in feral cats. Somehow the cats seem to know they can show up at her door and she will help them.

We don’t know what our life will look like in a few years. We can’t be certain we can look after a dog or cat for its whole life. We should consider how a pet fits into our life, how long they will be left alone, what will become of babies if they have them. What will happen if they have health problems?

My dog Lulu has seizures. She doesn’t have them often. I think it is because of certain foods. She eats Canadian made dog food and there doesn’t seem to be a problem. Recently I bought her some treats and she had another seizure. Am I sure the seizure is because of the food or treats? No, but when I watch what she eats, and stick to the brands that don’t bother her, she’s fine.

What will this mean as she ages, who knows? When we are thinking of getting a pet, we need to think about all the ramifications of having a pet. If a pet doesn’t fit into our lives and we want a doggy fix maybe we can go to the humane society and walk a dog. Maybe we could walk a neighbor’s dog.

Another book club buddy takes in dogs when people go on vacation, or out for the day and don’t want to leave the dog alone. She gets a doggy fix and doesn’t have the responsibility all the time. I’ve left Lulu with her. It’s a great arrangement that works for everyone.

It is true if we want more love in our life we can get a dog. But, we have to be fair to the dog. We have to know how it will fit into our life. It’s a big decision and we need to take the time to make a good one. If we decide we want a dog, we need to do research and pick a breed that fits our lifestyle. We will live with our choice for a long time; maybe we shouldn’t rush the process. Can we make sure we love the adult we will live with, and not just the puppy we bring home?

During the depression, my dad made radios to sell to make extra money. Nobody had any money to buy the radios, so he would trade them for dogs. He built kennels in the backyard, and he cared for the dogs. Bette White

The world would be a nicer place if everyone had the ability to love as unconditionally as a dog. M.K. Clinton

A dog is not a thing. A thing is replaceable. A dog is not. A thing is disposable. A dog is not. A thing doesn’t have a heart. A dog’s heart is bigger than any “thing” you can ever own. Elizabeth Parker

Thank you for reading this post. I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you will come back and read some more. Have a blessed day filled with gratitude, joy, and love.

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Ever By My Side: A Memoir in Eight [Acts] Pets by [Trout, Nick]

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