They bark, they bite, dig up your lawn, bury Lord-knows-what in the backyard and they present you with “treats,†whose smell lasts on the bottom of your shoes for ages.
Yet for all the minor inconveniences that may come with having a dog, the benefits of having a loyal companion, whose love, devotion and overall sense of caring for you are unrivaled, is well worth the few stains on the carpet that will stand the test of time.
Known from time immemorial as “man’s best friend,†dogs have faithfully walked at our sides for generation after generation. And they’ve largely kept secret what are amazing attributes that we humans will never attain.
As you’ve seen from my two-part series (at least, I hope you have — if not, check out the July 6 and issues of the Herald) a special new canine program at the North Kitsap School District’s behaviorally adjusting Summit Program is working wonders.
New studies are finding dogs can detect certain kinds of cancer. Their senses are so finely tuned that specialists like NKSD’s Kimbra Kern have been able to utilize their canine companions to uncover thoughts of suicide and help heal victims scarred from traumatic experiences.
Our pooches may not have the intelligence we do — or at least that we claim to have — but they can feel and give love and warmth just as well, if not better, than us humans. When it comes to the characteristics of love — faith, devotion, loyalty, to name a few — intelligence takes a back-seat. They stand by you, care for you as best they can, no matter what.
Writing these stories makes me think back to my childhood pups. Taylor was the name of the yellow lab that I grew up with for much of my teenage years.
He picked you up when you were down, napped with you when you were tired, and loved my family unconditionally.
He sensed all of our emotions at all times. Looking back on his life now triggers my own emotions.
I have countless memories of Taylor. The time he slept on my bed when I was scared; the days we’d go swimming in the Willamette River together and he’d yelp his brains out while playing on the banks; the sight of his extremely full belly after he’d ripped open the family cooler and ingested the majority of the Christmas ham.
It is speculated that when you leave home each day for work or school, your loyal pooch believes you’re leaving for the last time — that they’ll never see you again.
When you come back, they are so overwhelmed with joy they practically knock you over with their wrecking ball of a tail, and, should you let them, will give you a full cosmetic makeover, courtesy of their boundlessly elastic tongue.
What other species displays such an abundance of love to the ones it cares about most?
I’ll never forget the way Taylor protected and loved my family. I know that you can think of that furry friend in your life, too. If you can’t, look into finding a pooch for you — they could save your life. Or, at the very least, give you a friend that will always want to give you a big fat kiss any chance he gets.
