14 Comments

Yes, thanks our behavior with dogs is extraordinary and well worth exploring. We as humans appear to have perhaps, in some circumstances, chosen and fed the right wolves. I often think of our two Alaskan Malamutes (often mistaken for wolves) as members of our pack. Our family is a pack and our dogs are honorary members of this pack. We take pack walks and engage in making clear which boundaries are important here. The dogs are very smart and observant. They do not suffer fools.

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JUST A DOG

From time to time, people tell me, “lighten up, it’s just a dog,”

or “that’s a lot of money for just a dog.”

They don’t understand the distance travelled, the time spent,

or the costs involved for “just a dog.”

Some of my proudest moments have come about with “just a dog.”

Many hours have passed and my only company was “just a dog,”

but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by

“just a dog,” and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch

of “just a dog” gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it’s “just a dog,” then you probably understand

phrases like “just a friend,” “just a sunrise,” or “just a promise.”

“Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship,

trust, and pure unbridled joy.

“Just a dog” brings out the compassion and patience

that make me a better person.

Because of “just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks and look

longingly to the future.

So for me and folks like me, it’s not “just a dog”

but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future,

the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

“Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts

away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that its’ not “just a dog”

but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being

“just a man” or “just a woman.”

So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog,”

just smile, because they “just don’t understand.”

~Unknown Author~

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Sure, talk about dogs way before their day, bur did you mention cat day? Not a peep! As a cat person. I must object.

Interesting read, still

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Just be thankful Substack doesn't allow photos in the comments.......lol

(or sad, depending on your dog-photo preference)

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We need a National Cat and Dog Day as I love them both!

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We have five dogs and, yes, they are family members. Treated better than most people in the world. Two, and sometimes three (along with two cats) sleep with us and the other two with my son. He has the Boarder Collies, who happen to be smarter than a lot of people we know. The other three are mutts, but very lovable, i.e., not as smart as a Border. We also have four cats and a bird, who I hear singing as I write. They all appear to be happy probably not realizing what they do for us. They are always a pleasure and a great stress reliever. We live in a great area away from most folks and have a great yard for them to roam, so we are lucky in that way, and we are not recommending this for everyone, but a single dog, probably loved and cared for, will bring mush joy to anyone, especially if it's a rescue.

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founding

It seems there might be a chicken and egg in domestication. Did animals become "cuter" and domesticate themselves? Or did domestication come first and cuteness followed? Apparently the answer is NOT in the domesticated Russian foxes. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/russian-foxes-tameness-domestication

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I don’t have a dog, but I have a beautiful calico. With me 17 years, longer than some men👍🏼

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The centuries-old love affair between humans and canines is marvelous. However it came about, it's a fact that most western people have an affinity for dogs. Fewer for cats, and I suspect that's the difference for more attention to dog day than to cat day. Cats didn't (and still don't) accompany hunters, dogs did, and they performed a vital function in the hunt. Cats hunted only for themselves. Isn't that difference enough to influence evolution?

In my early family days, we had a dog named Butch, a mix of Dachshund and Cocker Spaniel. I love to tell this story, one of many about him. He displayed a remarkable talent during a game that he and I played. Whenever we emptied a paper towel roll, I would give him the empty roll and then chase after him to retrieve it. I would follow after him as he ran around our home, running under chairs and tables and any other furniture he could squeeze under, obviously loving the fun. But there was one place in our home that was too narrow for the roll in his mouth to fit past. He displayed a remarkable ability every time he went toward the gap. He turned his head sideways so the roll was parallel to the walls and table leg. No one taught him to do that. I laughed aloud every time. I could never get over the surprise I felt. He was a blessing to the family.

Finally, the last of the 7 other things -- about the bill collectors -- is a heartening reminder of human goodness, as opposed to the angst described in the Christian bible toward their kind. May these two be blessed for their great kindness and empathy.

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I know for a fact that my new little rescue dog happened serendipitously. My finding her after my husband’s death has been a balm for my soul. I believe that I’ve been good for her as well. Since it’s just the two of us, I’ve adapted to her idiosyncrasies and she’s adjusting to mine. She even has a placemat on the rug because that spot on the carpet is where she likes to drag her food. Who am I to argue? She likes my timetable so we’re good with the world as we know it now.

Thanks Bill for this special topic. I expect you will have heard from the cat lovers by now though. Good luck.

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Getting a dog:

1. Pick a breed.

2. Pick a responsible breeder for said breed.

3. Pick a puppy from the litter.

4. Dog fits into family, not the other way around.

5. Set your boundaries now. Otherwise...

6. If you can't train your dog, get help.

And, as always, pick up your poop.

Two words as to breed, Lab or Beagle. Color and size are up to you. Both will grow with your kid and be firecely loyal. And none of those bastardized mixed breeds. You pay way too much for too little dog.

Go. To. A. Reputable. Breeder. Trust me on this.

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Boom:

Seventy, that's seven zero, pre-ordered planes, plus the Air Force with God only knows how many, equals more than a "puff" piece. That is some serious money on the table.

I used to hear the twin sonic booms back in the Space Shuttle days when they flew over where I lived in Florida. I've heard them all over South Carolina when I lived there. I've never minded them at all when they're done at altitude. It just sounds like thunder that's about 20 miles away.

Get up somewhere around 50,000 feet and let it rip. Let's really find out just how much racket that puppy is gonna make.

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Willie is an Australian Shepherd and Doberman Pinscher mix. He protects our home and shepherds me when my handicapped significant other needs me. But beside these inbred traits, he is charming and funny. HE established a morning routine that starts our day with laughter. He is definitely an important member of the household. He was a rescue and very quickly adapted to our routines, although he innovated some of his own. We don't don't want to think about losing him, but when we do, we will definitely want to get another.

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