Who Decides?

Mom’s been reading again. Ruh roh, never a good thing. That means she’s been talkin’ to us more and THAT is always scary. The book du jour is “HOWL, A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit”. It is a follow up to “Dog is my Co-Pilot” and created by the editors of The Bark magazine. The book is a collection of essays. And the last one on the last page was entitled, “Dog is My Co-Dependent” (And your point?). Mom has read it a few times: many years ago when it was first brought to her attention, and now just recently. The thesis of that essay can be summed up in one of my mom’s most favorite sayings, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions”.

The author submits that, while you humans think you know what’s best for a dog, our absolute freedom is the sacrifice we make to be with you humans. The author is trying to say that a warm bed and two good dishes of food and a daily romp in the woods or a dog park is what YOU humans think is a good home, but really WE would rather be running free and not tied to anything or anyone. She contends that the day she brought her pup in from the barn, where he could run free all day long, was the day she changed his life for the worse. She thinks that by your good intentions, you have created a less than ideal situation for us dogs.

I’m not interested in getting into a growling match over this. However, I did run free on the streets for over a year, and I can tell you that I will take my mom and dad’s bed, warm wholesome food, and an hour run in the woods far more than having “freedom.” Sure, I’d rather drink out of a mud puddle, but my previous life of “freedom”? Nope, not for me. I recognize the author implies that I’d have a good home to come back to, but being out on the streets, woods, whatever all day is what I would prefer. Um, sorry, no.

However, the reason I’m dictating this subject today is more out of a sub-discussion or subplot within the essay. It got me n’ mom talking ‘bout what IS a good home. Especially since Wally-Flower just went to his FOREVER home. Who decides what makes a good home and what doesn’t? Of course, MY home is perfect. I’m the Princess. I’m in charge of boys. I boss my mom around, yet I let her think she’s in charge. I get good food, albeit boring sometimes. And as Bear said in his “Last Will”, I learned early on that discipline was for my health and safety. I got it pretty good. And so do our fosters. So when it’s time for the fosters to go to their forever home, who is to say they’re going to a greater or lesser home? Wally is in a different home now with different rules and different routines. It is not like our home. But is it bad?

Who says that a day at a children’s hospital being loved on and receiving the “laying of the hands” is no better or worse than a day chasing deers in the woods? Who says that working a sheep farm and keeping them sheeps in line, but coming in at night to get comfy and eat a good dinner is any worse or any better? How ‘bout the home that has a large fenced in yard? The dog that lives there might not ever get into the woods to run, but there is the ability to play and have fun is there not? Or how ‘bout the family with bunches of kids where the dog isn’t the center of the universe but is petted while TV is being watched and fed when dinner is being made and allowed to be part of the pack? Is that all that bad compared to being on the streets fending for food? Or, what about having parents that work and leave us alone all day. Is that a bad home just because they can’t go for a walk in the middle of the afternoon? Some people might say yes, but I feel differently.

Wanna know a secret? We’re pretty malleable, us dogs. Our number one priority? LOVE. I know that flies in the face of Caesar Milan who says, “Discipline, Exercise, Love”. Yup, some of us need much more exercise than others. And some of us need a more rigid routine for discipline. But if my momma was homeless and we had to live on the streets together, I’d still be with her. I’d still love her. We might get dirty (oh my skirt!) and cold and hungry, but momma would be with me and it would be ok. Sacrifice freedom for a good home and loving parents? Who said anything about sacrifice? We’re pretty accepting and pretty flexible when it comes to things YOU think are important. On the surface you might think one home is better than the other. But the best home is where you’re part of the pack. And you belong. And you’re loved. That’s what we were originally bred for, right? Companionship and protection?

So, who decides what is good and what is bad? I have such little control in my life and I accept that. As long as I have someone to love me and be kind to me, in the end, that’s all I really need, isn’t it?

I wish happiness to reign upon you today. Thanks for reading everybody….