I must have seen this story dozens of times yesterday on the internet, and finally it just wore me down until I posted it.SUCH A GOOD BOY, MAX! He stayed with his 3-year-old human who was lost near Warwick last night while we frantically searched for her. For keeping her safe, you're now an honorary police dog. 🐶https://t.co/QiszGFP4gg via @ABCNews pic.twitter.com/xxRc6ndeaK— Queensland Police (@QldPolice) April 21, 2018
This is what love is.
What devotion is.
What selflessness is.
Dammit, now I want a dog.
I thought your daughter had a dog that you take care of.
ReplyDeleteAfter her last visit my daughter took her dog with her.
DeleteShe has been gone quite awhile now.
Don't tell my kid but I really miss that dog at times.
I’ve had dogs my whole life. The one thing for sure is you never experience true unconditional love until you bond with a dog.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. I dog sat three Jack Russells while their "Mom" was in Cambodia, and they come running when I go to visit now. All over me with licks and excitement. It is HEAVEN.
DeleteAwwww, thanks for posting this! It was the first time seeing it, and I agree that Max is a Very Good Dog.
ReplyDeleteGiven where he is, and what he looks like, I am betting that Max is an Australian Cattle Dog. That is what they are like. If you get a dog, get one of them -- also known as Blue Heeler, I think. Had one next door to me for years (Cattle Dog/Corgi mix) here in upstate NY and he was one of a kind wonderfulness. So great my veterinarian has 2 of them.
ReplyDeleteYawn. Every breed is the best to their owner. Catahulas (cattle dogs) are working dogs , like my German Shepherds were. Most of those WORKING breeds may not be the best for someone who leads a more sedentary life or doesn't have kids to keep them busy. Sometimes, different breeds of dogs are better at different stages of life. So your blanket endorsement is worthless.
DeleteMax appears to be a Blue Heeler cross. Heelers aren't all splotchy like that, so Max probably has some Kelpie in him (an Australian sheep dog). There are also Red Heelers.
DeleteI had an Australian Cattle Dog and while she was the smartest, most loyal dog ever, she also required a LOT of work. Work for us, work for HER. She also took "protective" to the nth degree. It was very hard to (try to) train some of that out of her. Lovely dog, but not a good choice for a first timer, IMO
DeleteDogs are great companions but so are cats. I know! Cats can be aloof and self centered. But the two cats I have had for 10 years have been of immense support during this bad last year. Lost my husband of 23 years last March, and it’s been a struggle. But my two Tuxedos have been there for me. Sure, they just want fed when I get home from work, but they act like they are glad to see me!
ReplyDeleteI never had much use for cats until I got a Siamese seal point for hubby's 50th BD (his life long wish). All I can say is Lady And The Tramp gave 'em a bad rep. :)
DeleteDogs are amazing, so are cats. That said, the impulse for unconditional love has conditions.
ReplyDeleteFirst is temperament. Not all dogs in a specific breed are the same. Surprisingly, just like humans animals have their own personality.
Second consideration is time. Dogs are very interactive. Leaving them alone for eight hours is like months away to a dog. A question to ask is if you have the strength of character to provide for a pet. This means exercise, socializing, and providing care when it’s the absolute worst time ever.
If you accept the responsibility then the investment is priceless.
I have two dogs - my retired service dog and her new trainee, both Belgian Malinois. The breed has their own challenges and are not recommended for first time dog owners. In a lot of ways it’s like living with toddlers 24/7. I don’t remember what it’s like to potty alone nor what it feels like without intense eyes asking if I’m going to eat that (whatever that is in my hand).
I’m glad Max did his job. I just cringe at people’s impulse to get a dog as I see the results in the shelters and highways.
Second to last paragraph - hooting!
DeleteRight ON.
THank you, Grey One and yes. If you are a first-timer thinking of a dog ownership, go volunteer at a pet resuce. Maybe becoem a foster (great way to "trial" you and a dog.)
DeleteYou just dredged up a fond memory of one dog and two cats following me to the outhouse and back for years.
DeleteThey more than make up for the effort you have to give them.
DeleteJust be ready to be there until the very end. When you dog had given everything to you, in their last time in earth you need to be willing to do the same. There may be incontinence and some reversion to puppyhood lack of manners. And in the end they may demand the biggest sacrifice of all. For you to give them the dignity and love to pass on away from their pain while at the same time you have to endure the biggest, deepest pain of your life; letting them go.
At least we can help our fur partners ease their pain, unlike the humans in our family who the law demands just suffer until they can't any more.
When you take everything in balance, it is still many time over worth living with a dog.
I feel the same way about my Lola. She's the most loving and devoted family dog. The older she gets (she's 7 now, so not old but ykwim) the more protective she becomes but not in any kind of aggressive ways. She knows when one of us is sick, she misses anyone who is gone for a period of time, and she literally plays musical beds for hours at a time until settling in on the floor of the upstairs hallway where she can "keep an eye on things" <3 She's the best dog I could have dreamed of and yet I was afraid of her when I met her because I could tell she was a pit mix. It took only a few minutes with her to know that she was looking to bond closely and when I had my husband and kids come to meet her later that day, we all knew she was right for our family.
ReplyDeleteMy brain had been conditioned to fear certain breeds, but my gut told me it was right. Go with your gut, it's usually right.
I have had a dog my entire adult life. A lab is the best when you are young. They are loyal. They are faithful and they will be your best friend. It is a responsibility. It is costly. And you must have a place for a dog and room in your life. You must arrange a safe place for your dog when you travel. They are like children and are dependent on you. The reward of companionship in senior years is priceless.
ReplyDeleteMy little old man is a long haired chihuahua that i adopted when his airforce owners were transferred to Alaska,they were afraid it would be hard on a tiny Louisiana dog.He is a senior now,but only his graying hair shows it.He loves grandkids and all family members but warns the mail lady,pizza guy,and others to stay away from the house,lol.If i am not feeling well he never leaves my side,it seems like he knows.I almost lost him a few months back due to hemorrhagic gastric virus,not sure where that came from.but now I cook him chicken breasts in the crockpot with a bit of rice and spoil him rotten,no more commercial food for him!
ReplyDeleteHe needs more than chicken and rice for a balanced diet. There are plenty of places on the internet where you can read up on a balanced home cooked dog diet. After Ramses' next blood test (he's 14) I may go that route if they still can't identify what is wrong with him. High potassium but not Addison's.
DeleteAlso be careful with the chicken. At 8 years old Ramses' became allergic to chicken. Now he's on lamb or salmon. I have to be careful with treats too. No chicken, which many of them have. I've always avoided rawhide and soy with him.
Dogs as well as cats need certain vitamins that are added to commercial pet food.
DeleteThey are not getting those if you only feed them "human" food.
Show me any dog. Just passing by them on the street as their owner walks them. They know people, excepting the time I was bit on the forearm when they must have smelled the chemo.
ReplyDeleteForgiven.ALWAYS forgiven.
When my daughter was 5 yrs old, I gave her a Queensland Blue Heeler puppy as a reward for agreeing to move to a new (old) house on the edge of a national forest. (Sometimes you have to resort to bribes!) She was besotted with that wonderful dog (named it Queenie) and it never left her side for 11 years as they took long walks together, slept together and played together. Queenie never bit anyone, but made it clear she was protecting her "person". We went into a deep grief when she died. A wonderful breed, and highly intelligent, I would recommend one without hesitation as a great pet. And yes, she needed plenty of exercise. My daughter (all grown up) volunteers with a dog rescue group and now has a beautiful shepherd mix rescue of her own.
ReplyDeleteAs a friend of my Dad said years ago, “show me a man that doesn’t like dogs, and I’ll show you a son of a bitch.”
DeleteI highly recommend a dog if you don't travel a lot and lead a fairly routine life. Dogs can be quite flexible. I've had dogs when I worked and they were OK with being at home for 8 hours as they had a large, fenced, safe back yard to roam and plenty to keep them occupied. They always knew when the weekend was and enjoyed the holidays with me at home an extra day or more. Always knew when it was Saturday and we were going to "the goodie house," I.E. my parents'. I've never owned herding dogs so keeping them occupied with a "job" was never a problem. There are plenty of web sites where you can put in your life style habits and they will come back with some breed recommendations. After they do, look for a mutt from a shelter or rescue. A mixed breed with some of those breeds in it. But it's still a crapshoot. Not a lot of shelters or rescues will put out for a DNA test even though they have been available for years. I adopted my Ramses as a lab/hound mix and had him tested; he is mostly Boston Terrier and Afghan Hound and not even a lot of that. But he's a great dog. He turned 14 in February.
ReplyDeleteDogs are like a 3 year old that never grows up. They reflect their family. While they have their own personalities those can shift a bit with how they are treated.
I have read many reports from around the world of dogs doing exactly as this dog has done. A child wanders off and they stay with it over night keeping it warm and safe. Every country probably has such an article at least once a year. Family dog. Stray dog. A dog finds a child and does what dogs do; it protects.
Dogs lower your blood pressure and can even sniff out cancer. Yes, I've read reports of untrained dogs nosing their owners and when said owner did a "by the way" with their doctor at a check up turns out the dog was nosing a spot of skin cancer or in one woman's case, a small lump of breast cancer.
Dogs are wonderful creatures.
I think Carmen Bernos de Gasztold captures the essence of a dog best in her poem from Prayers from the Ark.
The Prayer of the Dog
Lord,
I keep watch!
If I am not here
who will guard their house?
Watch over their sheep?
Be faithful?
No one but You and I,
understands
what faithfulness is.
They call me, "Good dog! Nice dog!"
Words...
I take their pats
and the old bones they throw me
and I seem pleased.
They really believe they make me happy.
I take kicks too
when they come my way.
None of that matters.
I keep watch!
Lord,
do not let me die
until, for them,
all danger is driven away.
Amen
Carmen Bernos de Gasztold (1919 - 1995) France
Translated by Rumer Godden
From: Prayers From the Ark
Gryphen, if you believe you have what it takes to bring a dog into your life, then do not hesitate. Do your research, be prepared and make the commitment for life. Theirs and yours. (If you die first, leave directions your dog is to view your body so that they have closure.) If you think you may die first, make arrangements for who will adopt your dog after your passing and make sure they will honor that commitment.
Then go to the local shelter and find your companion there. You will save two lives. Theirs and your own.
With modifications to species, the same goes for cats, or any other companion animal. They all have their personalities and quirks. But the relationship is its own reward.
They will be the most accommodating room mate you will ever enjoy. In some ways superior to a spouse.