Blog comment from Sonel:
I so agree with your article Janet. It is so true! I have a Peketese (Pekingese/Maltese) furbaby called Simba and he is the love of our lives..:-) And boy! We sure learned from him and I think the important lesson was to take everything from minute to minute and make every minute count. When he comes running to me with his teddy in his mouth, I know he is telling me to stop working and start playing and he loves his little naps. Then we would also go and lie down beside him and rest a while. It really did wonders for our household. Less stress and more family time.
Thanks again for a lovely article. And Sophie is just gorgeous! Give her a hug from me and Simba..:-)
Email from Rostislav in Russia:
Among many things, my dear Masha teaches me all 18 happy years of our companionship, the main one is probably punctuality: it’s time to comb, it’s time to sleep, it’s time to leave my journalistic PC mouse for much healthier hunting real mice in nearby Siberian tundra (alas, here in St.Petersburg we had to change her old favorites for a fluffy German toy mouse) etc.
But her punctuality lessons are always so loving and understanding. An example, she never tries to insist on anything traditional in presence of guests, or, say, while someone is ill... But then, she was quite strict on keeping the usual schedule after my dear wife has left us a year ago! It was like hearing her little purring voice: "The things should go as usual here – my lady would like it that way, believe me! Together we shall overcome." And we did, indeed, we did, thou’ hard it was. But without Masha’s helping hand (paw?) it would be twice more harder, I know.
An excellent theme for a hearty article, thank you ever so much! With every good wish and respect from both of us, your devoted reader Rostislav Gorchakov, Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Email from Daniel:
My dog, a female Newfoundland named Maeve, has taught me patience, or as much of that virtue as I can absorb, as well as devotion to duty.
On occasion I have had to leave her overnight to do a sleep study at St. Mary's Hospital in Lewiston, Me. I ask her to watch the house and she does, never committing mischief, just doing her job.
When I'm home in my own bed, however, it can be "the nightlife ain't no good life, but it's my life" as far as Maeve is concerned. I may wake up to find papers shredded on the floor, food stolen from the garbage can, and all of course, while I'm sleeping with my bipap machine and couldn't hear a regiment of soldiers marching across my lawn. This has been part of the lesson in patience as there is no sense punishing her after the fact, she's done no permanent damage and, thanks be to God, she's over chewing shoes and books.
Thank you for your comments! Please feel free to add your comments and animal insights to the original What Our Pets Teach Us post.
