I took this photograph of Maura an hour ago during our morning run through the park:
Related at PJ Lifestyle: Read our Washington DC editor Bridget Johnson’s “Furry Friday” pet columns. This week, “Pets and the Power Outage“
David Swindle is the associate editor of PJ Media. He writes and edits articles and blog posts on politics, news, culture, and entertainment. He edits the PJ Lifestyle section and blogs about political culture at PJ Tatler. Contact him at DaveSwindlePJM @ Gmail.com.
He has worked full-time as a writer, editor, blogger, and New Media troublemaker since 2009. He graduated with a degree in English (creative writing emphasis) and political science from Ball State University in 2006. Previously he's also worked as a freelance writer for The Indianapolis Star and the film critic for WTHR.com. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their Siberian Husky puppy Maura.
You wouldn’t think he’s so angelic if he had just pooped inside the house
Maura doesn’t poop in the house anymore. We exorcised those demons from her during the process known as “housebreaking.” Dogs are as humans create them to be.
He is a she…and she NEVER poops in the house
And you bring light and joy into her life. She is laughing with sheer doggy happiness.
so beautiful…dogs are eager to please their owners with a little work from owners your pet will train easily.
I have evolved my own theology of dogs, and I believe that there are likely to be far more of them in Heaven than there will be my fellow humans. Dogs are free from Original Sin, and my two bassets are among the noblest, gentlest, purest souls I have ever known. I think the old Twilight Zone episode had it right–if they don’t let dogs in, it isn’t Heaven.
I think I’ll borrow that theology if you don’t mind.
Hymn #1 should be Kipling’s Dinah In Heaven
Dogs are not so much in Heaven as they are in Eden. The state of grace coming from being satisfied living as their own portion of G_d, rather than humans who decided to leave Eden and to enter into G_d’s House on their own terms. Much more difficult if it happens at all but with the ending of times, Eden and Heaven will merge and we’ll have each other’s company still……:)……….
Having had a Siberian Husky, “angelic” isn’t the first word that comes to mind.
#4 Mary, you are spot on. With relatively few exceptions, dogs that behave badly do so because of something gone awry for which those who interact with said dog are accountable. For the most part they are anxious to please, are relatively easy to train but what a lot of people don’t realize is that dogs are pack animals that don’t do at all well without a pretty healthy modicum of attention. I never cease to be amazed by cases of people who think it’s sufficient to simply feed their dog & make sure the dog has enough water & that’s it. One must interact with the dog (talk to the dog, play with the dog, exercise the dog, etc.). Too many people out there with no clue as to how to properly treat a dog have dogs. For those of us who are dog lovers, there is no way to understate the joy & quality of life dogs do bring. I cannot imagine ever being without a dog (I only take on rescues–they are most likely to make the best pets).
Amen.
Does Obama know Maura has swiped his glowy backlit halo?
(Good girl, Maura. Good girl.)
If it’s OK with God, I hope the first thing I see when I get to Heaven is my boxer Riley. I would loved to be greeted by her and all of my dogs. Eternity with my dogs—that would surely be Heaven.
I most sincerely hope that my dogs will be there to greet me in heaven. Their reference and good opinion would be a big help in getting me in. I one day hope to be half as good a man as my dog thinks that I am.
After Shadow, my golden retriever of 17 years died, my sister told me she thought he was an angel. Ha! I said. He drank from the toilet, treed the mailman if given half a chance, decorated the house with my underwear from the hamper, chased cats and jackrabbits and geese, swallowed 1# of ground beef still in the package thawing on the kitchen counter, urinated on my boss’s leg when he came to our house for dinner… I could go on… That was no angel, he was a dog, in so many ways better than an angel. An angel could never make me laugh like that, nor send me into comic (not cosmic) spasms trying to ‘fix’ him to fit into human civilization. I never quite succeeded, thank God, he was always the best creature God ever designed, he was a DOG. He knew me by choice, every rhythm and every heartbeat, he was my shadow, my Shadow. I know he’ll greet me in Heaven, along with Sheba, Sandy, Smoke(my cat who wanted to be a dog), Storm, and Sunny. And if you want to find me – go to the canine corner. I’m the one happily under all the dogs. PS – don’t tell Smoke she’s a cat.
Now when do I get to talk about my horses – or is that too Ann Romney this year?
BTW – Maura is a simply gorgeous dog – no angel, thank God. Thanks for sharing that lovely dog smile.
Alas, not everyone agrees…
A Toronto Sun reporter was denied two cab rides by Muslim drivers who didn’t approve of her dog:
http://www.fivefeetoffury.com/2012/07/16/toronto-reporter-muslim-cab-drivers-wouldnt-take-me-with-my-dog/
(Good thing they didn’t know she’s a lesbian.)
PS: Our cat brings us so much joy. That’s the exact word I always use, too.