Every Dog Has Its Day

By Bertie Brouhard

So do we humans; some more than one; a few having many. Today or soon might be one for you. However the subject of this article is not good fortune or having a great day. It’s about dogs; a subject I approach cautiously having been accused of “fat shaming.”

Once I took and then posted on Instagram a photo of several round, young women shoveling into their mouths tasty creamy treats from gigormous cups standing in front of a shop sign that read “Fat Free Yogurt.” At the time I found it humorous and later suffered the blowback. I try not to make the same mistake twice.

I appreciate, admire and respect dogs and their owners, keepers – family members. Please do not accuse me of dog shaming.

Currently I am dogless but growing up our family included “Sandy,” a cocoa colored Cocker and “Curious,” a nervous Dalmatian.  Raising young sons we loved two Bassets; “Floyd,” a French and “Sophie,” a British. My last two were both Jack Russell Terrier mixes – “Teddy” and “Lea.” Kind, gentle, quiet and endearing to their very end. Each of our dogs was different; leaving mostly wonderful memories.

I don’t recall growing up in Nebraska seeing dogs in friends and neighbors homes. Many had bird dogs (Labs, Retrievers, Spaniels) for pheasants, ducks, geese, quail, or others for squirrels, rabbits, cattle and chickens. Dogs had kennels with dog houses. Only after I visited and resided in cities did I see dogs inside.

And oh yah. I’ve been bitten, peed and pooped on, scratched, pushed and growled at, sneered at, knocked down and loved immensely by their many different types, sizes, and dispositions. It’s their growing popularity and people’s fascination that intrigues me. I’m a dog fancier but not a dog lover. And much like photos of your last restaurant entree, visit to see your grandkids or your two nights at Big Sur or Yosemite, please spare me.

Thanks to my friend and former neighbor, Paul, I was a honey bee owner but not a keeper. I did purchase a needed bee hood and gloves. My mentor, Paul, had all the hives, frames, combs, smokers, tools we’d need and years of expertise. Our some forty thousand girls and a few male drones and their queen lived in my backyard. They are definitely fascinating creatures well worth your study. However, Paul was the bee keeper and I was but a bee owner. The distinction between owner and keeper applies to dogs as well. Our bees were certainly livestock requiring care, maintenance and our attention. So do dogs. I was more of a dog owner than a keeper.

When Paul moved, so did our bees. I gave him my hood, gloves and books; surely grateful and richer for the experience.

There’s a wide range of dog owners. The bright star of the Christmas or birthday dog gift can dim quickly. The experiment lasts but a few weeks. And at the other end is the dog parent, keeper and owner who can’t be separated either physically or mentally from theirs for more than a few hours. I’ve watched large vans pick up and then return their loved ones from doggie daycare, known owners who require sitters to be dog CPR certified, and heard criticism of supposedly unsavory meals and menus at the pricey Wags Hotel. Others; quickly disinterested by dog ownership, have been known to abandon theirs on deserted country roads. Or badly mistreat the caged up animals. I befriended in Lafayette Park a Pacific Heights dog walker who cared for twenty-four pooches five days a week. He had three walks daily of eight dogs each (city code’s maximum number) and told me twenty years ago his income was more than $120K. Pets are Big Business. It’s estimated to be a $150 billion industry poised to be $300 billion by 2030 due to more new owners with attractive demographics. Chewy, Petco, Pet Smart, Pet Supplies Plus and other retailers are booming. Vet bills are rising. Dogtopia on Mace is busy.

Dogs definitely fulfill, satisfy a need for many. And the question, “Why a dog?” generates many different responses. You’ve heard or lived some. Companionship looms large. It’s definitely A BIG DEAL. And “yes” we’re all being watched.

Our universe is infinite and they say expanding. To quote someone as learned as Carl Sagan, “A galaxy is composed of gas and dust and stars – billions upon billions of stars.” And surely we’re not alone. Looking down on Earth any intelligent life form must wonder why the larger upright, biped is tethered to and  being led around by the much smaller, hairy, four legged creature. And is mystified when the smaller being having emitted some substance sees the taller creature bend down to capture it in a bag for future use. What treasure can this be? Its value?

“Dog:” a domesticated, carnivorous mammal with typically a long snout, acute sense of smell, non-retractable claws and a barking, howling or whining voice; “canis familiaris,” domesticated from the wolf in the Mesolithic Period. Its family includes wolves, coyotes, jackals and foxes. “My dogs” could mean your tired feet or  “dogging it;”  for following someone. Consider just a few of the many dog-like phrases, colloquialisms, figures of speech in our language: It’s dog eat dog out there; a dog’s age, a dog’s life, the dogs of war. The golf hole’s fairway is a dog leg, the page is sadly dog-earred, getting so dog tired, and what about simply doggone good?  Have you a dog in the fight? Are you or someone going to the dogs, acting like a dog with a bone, not having a dog’s chance, maybe putting on the dog, throwing someone to the dogs or trying to teach an old dog new tricks?

Lacking a dog census it’s estimated our country has about 80 million dogs; in about 50 million households. And  per each thousand in population Montana, Mississippi, Idaho, Alabama and Arkansas have the most with about 1000 each. The Northeast states – New York, New Jersey, Connecticut,  New Hampshire and Massachusetts have the fewest: about 350 per thousand folks. An average dog owning household has 1.7 dogs and 43 is the average age of an owner. Cancer is the leading cause of death for dogs which one in three dogs will contract. Long living breeds are the Chihuahua (12-20 years), the Shih Tzu  (10-16), Dachshund, Yorkshire Terrier and Toy Poodle.

If you feel you need a smart dog (which we never did)  consider the Border Collie, Poodle or German Shepherd (our Cocker was about 20th smartest and our Bassets about 71st). Jack Russells have an 100 IQ or so. Learning dogs and humans have different intelligence is refreshing. We excel in abstract thinking and problem solving while our dog companions are highly skilled in social cognition and emotional intelligence. It’s why we get along so well.

Maybe you need a working dog out of the 195 or so (growing number of “doodles”) breeds. Maybe a Retriever, German Shepherd, a Hound, Siberian Huskie, Great Pyrenees, Boxer, Australian Shepherd, Collie, Sheep Dog, Bernese, a Mountain, Dog or a Rottweiler?

Sadly, at the end of this article I don’t have an answer to “Why get a dog?” I remember early on thinking  Rin Tin Tin, Toto, Scooby Doo and Lassie were silly animals like Mr. Ed or Bullwinkle. Hopefully I did not move in a negative direction your dog love/hate needle. I do appreciate those of you with your dog(s) “Out For A Walk” who are packin’, carryin’. Quick to pull out, drop down and remove your dog’s poop to a bag and proper disposal receptable (Oh pleez … not a mailbox.)

They (other Earthlings and certain Aliens) are watching.

— Long a Davis resident and retired from a successful HVAC sales career, I enjoy travel, reading and now finding my writing voice. I value your input so please email me (bertieb1970@gmail.com). Thank you. Bertie.