Dogs and me

In the past, I often looked at an old black and white photograph of a little boy who was about three years old, sitting on cement steps in front of his house. His hair is light brown and uncombed. He is wearing khaki short pants and a dark cabled jersey. At the little boy’s feet is the cutest little white terrier cross poodle you ever did see. They were friends. That little dog was the start of a lifelong love of dogs for the little boy. I was the little boy and until now, I have never thanked that little dog-friend of mine for showing me how dogs love. It has been the same love that I’ve experienced from all the dogs I’ve had since the time that photograph was taken of me on those steps, back in 1953.

Sadly, I have mistreated some of the dogs I’ve had through the years, in the mistaken belief that I was teaching them how to behave. When in fact, it was a convoluted way of exerting my authority over something I "owned". I had no idea what I was doing and when I think back on it my heart becomes incredibly heavy and all I can do is ask their forgiveness. What has become clear to me is, that as human beings, we have always had a duty to reach out and understand the people and animals we share this planet with and especially so, the animals we keep as companions because they do not have the ability to speak.

This blog is about dogs and people who love dogs from all across the world. Please treat those who post here with the same respect you would like to be treated with.