“I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of the whole human being.”
– Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln and his dog, Fido
Today, in conversation, I used the term ‘dog and pony show’ as in ‘David and Larry are going to do a dog and pony show on xxx.’ And then I got a question I didn’t expect – ‘what does that mean?’
The term dates back to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when there were many traveling circuses to entertain. It was often the dog and pony show that was promoted as a headline act.
Quite literally, this was when dogs and ponies/horses would perform together – often wearing costumes and decorations.
As time has gone on, ‘to do a dog and pony show’ means to publicize a presentation that is designed to impress or sell a product. It’s debatable about whether the saying is one of scorn – some dog and pony shows could be well-researched and professional as well as glitzy, others not.
Posted in dog quotes, Dogs
Tagged animals, Dog, dog and pony show, pony, traveling circuses
Once when I had remarked on the affection quite often found between cat and dog, my friend replied, ‘Yes. But I bet no dog would ever confess it to the other dogs.’
– C.S. Lewis
George Graham Vest was a politician and lawyer in the United States. This quotation comes from his closing arguments in a 1869 trial where he was seeking damages for his client, whose dog Old Drum had been killed by another man.
“Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”
– Martin Luther King Jr.
“No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich.”
– Louis Sabin
“Look at our relationships with other people. Most of us are not as dependable as animals.”
– Gregory Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society
Posted in dog quotes
Tagged animals, Best Friends Animal Society, dependability, Gregory Castle, relationships
I stood by your bed last night, I came to have a peep.
I could see that you were crying, You found it hard to sleep.
I whined to you softly as you brushed away a tear,
“It’s me, I haven’t left you, I’m well, I’m fine, I’m here.”
I was close to you at breakfast, I watched you pour the tea,
You were thinking of the many times, your hands reached down to me.
I was with you at the shops today, Your arms were getting sore.
I longed to take your parcels, I wish I could do more.
I was with you at my grave today, You tend it with such care.
I want to re-assure you, that I’m not lying there.
I walked with you towards the house, as you fumbled for your key.
I gently put my paw on you, I smiled and said ” it’s me.”
You looked so very tired, and sank into a chair.
I tried so hard to let you know, that I was standing there.
It’s possible for me, to be so near you everyday.
To say to you with certainty, “I never went away.”
You sat there very quietly, then smiled, I think you knew…
In the stillness of that evening, I was very close to you.
The day is over… I smile and watch you yawning
and say “good-night, God bless, I’ll see you in the morning.”
And when the time is right for you to cross the brief divide,
I’ll rush across to greet you and we’ll stand, side by side.
I have so many things to show you, there is so much for you to see.
Be patient, live your journey out…then come home to be with me…
Source: Unknown (I found this in my old email files and it is so appropriate to all of us who have loved and lost a dog)
Posted in dog quotes, dogs and mourning
Tagged animals, Do not cry, dogs, grief, I am with you
“Animals, like us, are living souls. They are not things. They are not objects. Neither are they human. Yet they mourn. They dance, they suffer. They know the peaks and chasms of being.”
– Gary Kowalski, author
DoggyMom.com 