Most of you know I am a dog person. If it is has anything to do with a dog, I am right there. Animal Planet is one of my favorite channels because of Emergency Vets, Animal Cops, and the Eukanuba Dog Show every year.
For any fellow dog lovers out there, I found the greatest book called
Good Dog. Stay. by Anna Quindlen, and I highly recommend it. It is so awesome. It details the life, and death, of one of her dogs, but it also offers insights into the relationships we form with dogs.
In the book, she states, "A dog's love is unconditional, attention unwavering, companionship without question or criticism. I would like to be the woman my dog thinks I am." I can attest to this. If I even look at Jake, his tail starts to wag...if I pet him, he could knock me unconscious with its rambunctiousness. Dogs are so good on a lonely hard day when you just need someone to hug or snuggle with. They are also good on those great days when you feel like a good run in the park.
In the book, she also states, "Occasionally, someone will tell me that they won't have pets because they're messy...and I want to tell them that life is messy, and that its vagaries go down hardest with those who fool themselves into thinking they can keep it neat." I concur. Our house is sometimes a mess because of our two animals. There's slobber on the fridge, pee on the bathroom carpet, a spilled soda hit with a tail, and a couple of stolen cookies off of the kitchen counter. But, I wouldn't trade all those things for anything. Sure, it would be nice if our dogs were a little better trained, but sometimes love, even for a dog, comes with having to look past all those little things that drive you nuts and to realize that nobody's perfect, especially not pups.
This book did get a little sad in the end as she explained the process of putting her dog down. I have yet to lose a dog. I have never had to hold one as its life slips away, and I'll admit, I'm not looking forward to that day. But, I guess that is just another part of loving an animal. Letting it go.
"I learned from watching dogs that contentment can be pretty simple: To roll with the punches, take things as they come, and from time to time raise my nose in the air and holler, 'I smell bacon!'" If only I could really learn that from my dogs - to just be content and to not be so worried about the future and the what-ifs.
Maybe I should go steal a couple of cookies off the kitchen counter.
For any fellow dog lovers out there, I found the greatest book called Good Dog. Stay. by Anna Quindlen, and I highly recommend it. It is so awesome. It details the life, and death, of one of her dogs, but it also offers insights into the relationships we form with dogs.
In the book, she states, "A dog's love is unconditional, attention unwavering, companionship without question or criticism. I would like to be the woman my dog thinks I am." I can attest to this. If I even look at Jake, his tail starts to wag...if I pet him, he could knock me unconscious with its rambunctiousness. Dogs are so good on a lonely hard day when you just need someone to hug or snuggle with. They are also good on those great days when you feel like a good run in the park.
In the book, she also states, "Occasionally, someone will tell me that they won't have pets because they're messy...and I want to tell them that life is messy, and that its vagaries go down hardest with those who fool themselves into thinking they can keep it neat." I concur. Our house is sometimes a mess because of our two animals. There's slobber on the fridge, pee on the bathroom carpet, a spilled soda hit with a tail, and a couple of stolen cookies off of the kitchen counter. But, I wouldn't trade all those things for anything. Sure, it would be nice if our dogs were a little better trained, but sometimes love, even for a dog, comes with having to look past all those little things that drive you nuts and to realize that nobody's perfect, especially not pups.
This book did get a little sad in the end as she explained the process of putting her dog down. I have yet to lose a dog. I have never had to hold one as its life slips away, and I'll admit, I'm not looking forward to that day. But, I guess that is just another part of loving an animal. Letting it go. 
Maybe I should go steal a couple of cookies off the kitchen counter.
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