I DIED TODAY
Dear Mom and Dad,
I died today.
You got tired of me and took me to the shelter.
They were overcrowded and I drew an unlucky number.
I am in a black plastic bag in a landfill now.
Some other puppy will get the barely used leash you left.
My collar was dirty and too small,
but the lady took it off before she sent me to the Rainbow Bridge.
Would I still be at home if I hadn't chewed your shoe?
I didn't know what it was, but it was leather,
and it was on the floor. I was just playing.
You forgot to get puppy toys.
Would I still be at home if I had been housebroken?
Rubbing my nose in what I did
only made me ashamed that I had to go at all.
There are books and obedience teachers
that would have taught you
how to teach me to go to the door.
Would I still be at home if
I hadn't brought fleas into the house?
Without anti-flea medicine, I couldn't get them off of me
after you left me in the yard for days.
Would I still be at home if I hadn't barked?
I was only saying, "I'm scared,
I'm lonely, I'm here, I'm here! I want to be your best friend."
Would I still be at home if I had made you happy?
Hitting me didn't make me learn how.
Would I still be at home if you had taken the time
to care for me and to teach manners to me?
You didn't pay attention to me after the first week or so,
but I spent all my time waiting for you to love me.
I died today.
Love,
Your Puppy
MY
DOG
He is my other eyes that see above the clouds;
My other ears that hear above the winds.
He is the part of me that reaches to the sea.
He has told me a thousand times over
that I am his reason for being:
He has told me by the way he rests against my leg,
By the way he wiggles his tail at my smallest smile,
By the way he shows his hurt
when I leave without taking him.
(I think it makes him sick with worry
that he is not along to care for me.)
When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive.
When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile.
When I am happy, he is joy unbounded.
When I am foolish, he ignores. When I succeed, he brags.
Without him, I am just another person.
With him, I am all-powerful.
He has taught me the meaning of devotion.
He is loyalty itself.
With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace.
He has brought me understanding;
Before I was ignorant.
His head on my knee can heal my human hurts.
His presence by my side is protection from my fears
of dark and unknown things.
He has promised to wait for me. . .whenever. . .wherever,
In case I need him.
And I expect I will.
He is My Dog.
Author Unknown
WHAT A PUPPY IS NOT
A puppy is not a toy.
A puppy is a living creature that has a need for love, kindness and proper care for the rest of its life – not just sufficient rest. It needs to be fed often when young. Young pups are especially vulnerable to broken bones and other injuries from careless treatment.
A puppy is not a teaching aid.
A puppy should never be obtained to try to instil a sense of responsibility in children. It’s unfair to place a
defenceless animal’s well-being in the hands of children. Feeding, grooming, housebreaking, and discipline training of a pup should be the responsibility of adults.
A puppy is not cheap.
The purchase price or adoption fee for a pet is a mere pittance compared to the cost of veterinary care for routine and emergency treatment, licensing fees, food, equipment and toys and grooming costs over the dog’s life.
A puppy is not self-cleaning.
Dogs neither groom themselves nor clean up after themselves and, therefore, impose an additional workload on the household.
A puppy is not a puppy forever.
But they do need your love and care forever. Be sure you understand the commitment involved before succumbing to the charms of a cute, cuddly puppy.
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