Go Bears.
Well this is unrelated, but kind of related because Man-Dad used to have black labradors, that he really loved. He lost them because of a divorce. Anyway. H-Mom found this article about puppies being given as Christmas presents and the upcoming movie Marley and Me and all the BAD BAD things that the combination will do for labrador puppies.
When H-Mom was in kindergarten, she got a Beagle puppy for Christmas. See H-Mom has always loved dogs, but she hasn't always been a "DOG PERSON." Because there is a reasonable age for being a dog person ... kind of like there is a reasonable age for driving and drinking and voting and all those things.
And H-Mom is kind of embarrassed, well ... VERY embarrassed ... to describe the life that her little beagle, "Arthur," had, locked in the utility room in the basement for hours on end with layers of peed and pooed newspaper, because no one ever took the serious amount of time needed to housetrain a puppy. And then chained outside by a dog house day and night and day and night. It was a different time and a different sensibility about what having a "family pet" really should mean.
So RIP Arthur, from many many moons ago.
We are making up for it by being really really good "dog people" now.
5 comments:
We don't think your mom was to blame for Arthur's condition. She was in kindergarten, after all. But it is good to understand the serious responsibility of owning a pet.
Roxy
Thanks for pointing out that dogs (or other pets, too!) shouldn't be given as gifts. Not just at Christmas, but never! If a person thinks that their loved one would like a pet, then they should give some of the things that pet would need (a leash, a water dish, a cool collar, etc.) and let them pick the pet out for themselves.
Poor Arthur. But H-Mom is not to blame! Give her some extra brown dog kisses,
Dannan
Hey, Madison!
My hoogirl is also a Bears fan. GO BEARS!
This is all a good reminder that hoomans need training too. Sometimes it just takes them longer to pick up on things than it does for us dogs.
Goob love,
Stanley
We're fans of Da Bears too, since #1 lived for several years in Chicago!
#1 has a story similar to Arthur's from her childhood, when her cousins in Paris owned a cocker spaniel who spent much of his life in the utility room, so he wouldn't "disturb" the humans. They did love him, but didn't know how to do it properly. We're so glad times have changed!
My mom never liked dogs, til she got me! She had cats while growing up. Thankfully, she wisened up!
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