E asks: What is here about Islamic history?
Hi E –
I am a dog, and answer questions sent to me by my friends – mostly kids, teens, and parents. I’m not an expert on any sort of history, though if someone asks me about something in Continue reading
yoko asks: My 22-month-old son fell and chipped his teeth. How can I fix it?
Hi yoko –
I’m a big believer in doing the jobs you can. Every day, I’m the only one – yes the ONLY ONE – who takes on the important tasks of barking at passers-by, chasing the squirrels in our yard, and jumping all over Handsome when he comes home, particularly if he’s wearing nice black clothes that really need my hairs covering them for style. I’m proud to do these jobs, and they make me feel very important.
However, there are other jobs that I’m really not equipped for. Handsome makes the money to pay our rent, he brings food home for both of us, and he’s the only one of us who drives the Continue reading
kavin24 asks: How can I make my New Year’s Resolutions?
Hi kavin24 –
We dogs don’t think much about our future, so I don’t think any of us make reservations, beyond the “Wow did she get mad when I peed on the couch! I sure won’t do that again!” variety.
But I think New Year’s Resolutions are a great idea. You humans are very calendar-oriented, so I hardly ever see people reach the end of a year without thinking back on what they accomplished and didn’t, and what they’re hoping will be different next year. So what a great time to decide on changes you wish to make to yourself. Fantastic! However… at the same time, I see lots of resolutions never Continue reading
But It’s Not My Fault! …how to handle disasters
(Originally Posted in The Pawprint, in January, 2011)
Sometimes terrible things happen. A couple of weeks ago, the city of Brisbane, Australia, where some of my favorite friends live, was flooded, destroying homes and businesses and memories and lives. And at the same time, a man shot a lot of people, including a Judge and a Congresswoman, in Arizona. When things like this happen, it’s just human nature to ask why. With the flooding, scientists will find out things to help them predict weather patterns better, and engineers will see what they can learn to build better cities. But with that shooting it’s tougher. Why would anyone, even a crazy man, want to shoot these people?
A lot of people thought that perhaps some of the mean things that people on TV and radio had said about the Congresswoman might have inspired the man to want to hurt her. And some of her political opponents had even used words and pictures about guns when they were saying they wanted someone else to have her job. So the question came up: Could this sort of talk and advertising have affected his mind?
Well, really we still don’t know. And we probably never will. But the question is still important – is it okay to say bad, hurtful things about people, or things that sound like threats to them? Especially when you don’t know how your words might affect a person who hears them?
So, I thought a lot about it, and I know I’m only a dog, but I think it’s all about the word Responsibility. Imagine you’re at lunch, and you see someone cleaning up after herself. That shows responsibility, right? She’s doing what she should. Then you see someone else leaving a mess; he’s showing that he’s really irresponsible. But what if you then see someone else, who doesn’t have to, step in to help clean up that mess? Doesn’t he seem really responsible to you? Isn’t he someone you want to trust?
You see, that last person is taking responsibility for things that aren’t even his fault. He isn’t complaining about whether or not the mess is unfair. Instead he’s choosing to do whatever he can to make his world a better place.
So in that same way, I’d love it if the people on TV and radio who say or send such terrible things about others would stop. Whether or not that shooting was their fault. Just because it might have been, or could be next time! In other words, I’d like them to be more responsible.
Now, I believe in doing as I ask others to do. And so I’ve looked over what I’ve written on my website, and… wow, do you know what? I’ve done the same thing! I have written over and over again about how useless, stinky, and awful a certain group of beings are! Not Congresspeople or Judges or Republicans or Democrats, but… CATS!!!
And it’s true! I don’t like cats at all! They do smell terrible and they walk through my yard in that slow smug way that just drives me up the wall, and they have that yowling sound that hurts my ears, and…
…And yet, I don’t wish for anything bad to happen to any cat, ever!
Sure I want to chase them out of my yard, but that’s just because I’m a dog. But do I want someone who reads my writing to go off and hurt a cat? Absolutely Not!
I love this world. I love sniffing around it, making friends in it, playing, finding good things to eat – and I don’t want bad things to happen to anyone in it. And of course, I have lots of friends who really love cats. And I sure don’t want them to be sad because something happened to their kitty.
So I’ll say it simply: Don’t Hurt Cats! Ever! Pet them, feed them, take them to the vet, let them sleep curled up in your neck if you like! (But don’t bring them near me, or they’ll be chased up a tree in two seconds!)
And if anyone who reads anything I’ve written has ever been inspired to treat a cat badly, I am sorry. Deeply, truly sorry. And I’ll be happy to apologize to that cat, or that cat’s friends.
So kids, that’s me taking responsibility. It’s a great thing to try to do. And if you can live your life with joy and all sorts of bratty fun, but also be able to take responsibility when it’s necessary, you’ll be on the road to becoming great adults. And you’ll make me proud, and help make this world the sort of place we all can enjoy.
Well, at least as long as the weather is kind!
Hachiko asks: There’s this dog (a small one) I really want to keep, but my mom won’t let me (In our religion keeping dogs is okay, but they say they’re unpure and better not to keep) and this dog gets beaten by men who work down-stairs. What can I do? I’m just a girl who can’t disobey her parent’s 🙁
Hi Hachiko –
Of course, being a dog, it’s tough for me to talk from the point of view of those who don’t think we’re just the best things around. But I have to acknowledge that they’re out there, and that they have the right to their opinions.
Someday, you’ll be an adult, and you’ll have the right to make decisions for yourself, like whether or not to have a dog as a pet. But for now, you’re right, you can’t have it in your parents’ home. It’s sad, but true.
But there’s another issue here. Which is that you’re witnessing an Continue reading
London12 asks: My mate is going with his girlfriend, but also with me and another girl. The other girl told him she might be pregnant, and he told me that if she is then he is gonna leave me and his girlfriend and stay with the other girl, but he said if she’s not then he is gonna leave the other girl but also me! I love him so much I can’t let him go that easy. It breaks my heart to be away from him, and I really don’t want to lose him!
Hi London12 –
I’m normally very romantic, and try to encourage everyone to make relationships work if they can. But yours is one of those cases where I really have to speak up and say my piece. And it is: Continue reading
prince maxwell asks: What is God’s love of man like?
Hi prince maxwell –
Dogs don’t adhere to any specific religions. I am not a Jew or a Christian or a Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, or Atheist. It’s not that I disagree with any particular religions; it’s just that my brain doesn’t work that way, as human brains do.
But that’s not to say that I don’t have a sense of the Divine. As a dog, I live in a constant sense of awe and gratitude. And the way I see it, when humans gain a strong sense of God’s love, it puts them into the mindset that we dogs are in all the time.
So when you ask me what God’s love of man is like, my answer is: look out your Continue reading
Hachiko asks: I have a feeling my house maid stole my earphones. I saw her with them twice (not directly though, like when she wears her scarf I saw a white thing – my ear-phones are white – and when I asked to see what it was, she put it in her bra!) I know I’m just a kid but I don’t like seeing people steal or lie. Also, she has friends here who she can just give things to and hide them. I figure that since you’re a dog and dogs are great in catching thieves, you’d have some good advice! 😉
Hi Hachiko –
I don’t know if there’s anything worse than losing trust in someone. We all live our lives assuming we know who we can trust and who we can’t. It’s as much a part of our comfort in our homes as our beds. And when we suddenly stop trusting someone close to us, it’s just like a leg on our bed breaking. Everything feels insecure and un-level. And life becomes really miserable.
Of course I have no idea whether this woman stole your earphones, or if you accidentally lost them and she was hiding something else. What I do know is that, if she did take them, your asking her about that “white thing” means she knows you’re suspicious of her. (If she didn’t take them, she probably has no Continue reading
Hachiko asks: My parents are married to each other but they don’t love each other. And maybe that’s why I cry sometimes. What should I do? They’re just married because in our country people have to get married (love ‘em or not).
Hi Hachiko –
The situation you’re describing is very sad. And sad for everyone, not just you, and not just your parents. It’s very common too.
When people get married, they almost always either feel in love with each other, or feel good enough about each other that they believe they’ll feel more love as time goes by. And as we all know, that feeling almost always changes over time. And when it does, they can either split up (through separation or divorce), or work on improving the relationship, or just stick with each other with no improvement. As you can probably imagine, I like the Continue reading
The “War on Christmas” …is there really such a thing?!
(originally posted in The Pawprint, December, 2010)
For the last few years, there’s been a lot of talk about a “War on Christmas.” Now we know there are places in the world where people of one faith make war on people of other faiths, which is of course just horrible. But this argument says that people in America (and other similar countries) are trying to destroy Christmas, by saying things like “Season’s Greetings” and “Happy Holidays.” I have a very sensitive nose, you know, and this smelled kind of odd to me, so I went to check it out.
Now first, know that all dogs feel the same way about the holiday season – we love that there’s extra food around, dropping onto the floor, but we get lonely when our people leave us alone to visit family and friends. Beyond that, though, I like to just sit back and watch. Some people get so stressed out, driving crazy, worrying about everything, while others like Handsome just love the decorations, music, and spirit of giving that seems to come over the whole community.
In fact, Handsome tells me that the celebration of Christmas is bigger than ever. Decorations go up, stores start advertising, and even radio stations start playing carols earlier and earlier every year. Meanwhile, there’s certainly no lack of churches celebrating the religious side of Christmas. So what’s this “war” we keep hearing about?
Well, here’s what I’ve found. There is a very sad fact about animal nature. If you’re ever in a dog park and a fight starts, or even if one dog is beating up on another, you’ll see most of the pooches run to check it out. They don’t necessarily want to get into the fight, but they sure enjoy the excitement. Even if everything else in the park is just what they like.
Humans are the same way. If a thousand people are enjoying the mass-love-affair that is the holiday season, but one person says “Hey, that guy over there hates Christmas,” people will turn to listen to what she says. And since she likes the attention, she’ll keep it up. And some people will choose to believe her, and next thing you know, the happiest of holidays has become… well, a big stinking dog fight!
So here’s the real truth behind the “war on Christmas.” If you own a small business, you can say whatever you want to your customers. Maybe you know them personally and can say “Good morning Mrs. Wienerschnitzel, how was your nephew’s birthday party last week?” Great! But if you run a big chain of stores or restaurants, it’s impossible to be that personal. So in order to make your customers’ experience more pleasant, you might tell your employees to say certain things, all the time. “Welcome to Mutt Steak! May I take your order?” Stuff like that. And then in the holiday season, to be part of the festivities, you might add another greeting in. And because you have all sort of customers, that greeting’s got to be universal.
Now in regular life, it’s great to be greeted by everyone in their own way. Some people pat me on the head. Some people ask me to sit and shake their hand. Some give me a big hug. Great! I like to jump up and lick strangers right in the mouth, though Handsome tries to discourage that.
So, similarly, if a person wants to greet me with “Merry Christmas,” or “Happy Hanukkah,” or “Joyous Kwanza,” or “Blessed Eid,” or “Groovy Solstice,” or “Hey, cold enough for ya?!” it’s all fine by me. But the people who run those big companies just can’t tell their employees to say one of those things! It would be crazy to tell a Jewish checkout clerk that when her Rabbi buys a sweater at her store she has to say “Merry Christmas!” Just as it would be ridiculous to ask a devout Christian to tell her priest “Happy Hanukkah.” So instead, the stores have their employees say something that everyone, from the Pope to an atheist, can agree is festive: “Happy Holidays,” “Season’s Greetings,” “Ho Ho Ho,” whatever!
So, back to those people complaining about the “War on Christmas.” Is there really a war on Christmas, or are these people trying to start a sort of war on anyone who doesn’t celebrate Christmas? Wow, how un-Christmassy can you get!
So I say, ignore them! And meanwhile, I send every happy seasonal greeting there is to you! Your friendship has sure made mine joyous. I hope you get gifts you want, that you’re generous to others, that you soak up the spiritual beauty, and especially that you remember to give some special treats to any dogs in your life (but remember: no chocolate candies, those are bad for us).
And if you hear someone griping that Christmas is in danger from well-wishers, just know that they’re a big Scrooge trying to ruin everyone’s good time. Celebrate, and in the words of the beautiful old carol, just spread Tidings of Comfort and Joy.
And if you do, in the words of the much newer one, you’ll help make it a Happy Christmas: “War” is over if you want it!