Beauty without Vanity,
Strength without Insolence,
Courage without Ferocity,
and all the Virtures of Man
without his Vices.
– Lord Byron in memory of his dog Boatswain (a Newfoundland)
Thanks to the great people at German Shepherd Rescue of New England, here’s some food for thought this Christmas – a different version of the Twas the Night Before Christmas – by Stacey Vincent.
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds
With no thought of the dog filling their head.
And ma in her kerchief, and I in my cap,
Knew he was cold but didn’t care about that.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Figuring he was free of his chain and into the trash.
The moon on the crest of the new fallen snow
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But Santa Claus – and his eyes full of tears.
He unchained the dog once so lively and quick,
Last year’s Christmas present, now painfully thin and sick.
More rapid than eagles he called the dog’s name.
And the dog ran to him, despite all his pain.
Now DANCER!
Now PRANCER and VIXEN!!
On COMET!
On CUPID!
On DONER and BLITZEN!!
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Let’s find this dog a home where he’s loved by all
I knew in an instant there would be no gifts this year
For Santa Claus had made one thing quite clear …
The gift of a dog is not just for a season.
We had gotten the pup for all the wrong reasons.
In our haste to think of the kids a gift
There was one important thing that we missed.
A dog should be family and cared for the same.
You don’t give a gift then put it on a chain.
And I heard him exclaim as he rode out of sight,
“You weren’t given a gift! You were given a life!”
“The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.”
– Andy Rooney
Before you get a dog, you can’t imagine what living with one might be like; afterward, you can’t imagine living any other way.
– the late Caroline Knapp, author of Pack of Two
I guess you don’t really own a dog, you rent them. And you have to be thankful that you had a long lease.
– Joe Garagiola
You can run with the big dogs or sit on the porch and bark.
– Wallace Arnold
This has made the rounds many times over the years…but it is still a goodie!
If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without alcohol,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
…Then You Are Probably
The Family Dog!
“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
– Will Rogers, actor and cowboy
I think dogs are the most amazing creatures: they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.
– Gilda Radner
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