Is it an accident that God and dog are reversed?

Here they are! My furry little friends. The cute little wolf hybrid puppy is a neighbor, but all the rest are my little lovelies! So let me introduce you.

Keefa: she is on the upper left. This is the dog that I call my soul mate, not only call her that, she is that. She is a 14 year old Carolina Dog, aka American Dingo. If you would like to read about her breed, Google "Carolina Dog" and look for the article from the "Smithsonian". I am writing a book about how we met, and how we have tamed each other. Keefa was a wild dog, mistaken for an abandoned puppy, and we have been on a spiritual path together. She has helped me realize how important it is to be kind and gentle, to not push too hard, and to figure out how to help her live in a world she doesn't always understand. (hmm, and isn't that what I did when I was a psychotherapist?) I am almost certain that she was abused by a neighbor of mine. I will not go into this, as it was pretty horrible, but helping her get through that experience and trust even me again, was heartbreaking. Anyway, someday, maybe you will get to read the whole experience, as it is special.

Sasha: Sasha is the wolf hybrid puppy. She and her human were walking by the house when I was taking pics of mine, and because she is so cute, I decided I would run out and take a picture of her amazing blue eyes. She was my next door neighbors dog's puppy, one out of 6. So I have seen her since she was weeks old. A couple of the other puppies live close to here too. I think they are so beautiful, and the mom and these pups are the sweetest dogs.

So, they are there side by side, because both are wild dogs, who have come into our lives to teach us. At least I believe the wild ones come to us for a reason. Mine was truly wild, but supposedly all the dogs in the world, come from both these dogs. They are the original canines. And we, the humans saw the potential of making them "ours". Or, maybe they the wild ones, saw the potential to make us their project! What are these beautiful creations that have been put on this Earth? If nothing else, I think the lesson they teach us is loyalty. We, yep us fellow humans, have asked these guys to change their ways, and to come to us, and live in our world. Wow, what a gift this is! And, I believe it is now our duty to care for these beauties. That may be to simply treat them kindly, feed them, and love them. But, the other way, is to respect them and their story and what they come to tell us. Then and finally, the other way is to care for those that are still in the wild. Living the life that they came to life. I don't know what is going on with the Dingo's in Australia, but I do know some about the controversy over the wolves in Yellowstone Park. I do kind of understand the sheep ranchers concerns who were losing their lambs to the wolves, but I think I am voting for the wolves in this case. They are letting us share their land. They were here running free and doing their thing before we came to encroach upon their territory. So, I put these two wild dogs, side by side, to remind us....our wild sides are good. We need to listen to them and to know that we too can run free......but then there is the other side to that, what we have done to these wild ones......and that leads me to the next pics....

Mika: OMG, isn't she cute! This is my baby who is an almost 14 year old Shih Tzu.....about as far from a wild dog as you can get. Can you believe that this little tiny dog, came from the wolf, the wild dog? I once sat in front of a display at the Smithsonian Museum, that mapped the transition from wild and free, to tiny little lap dog....but who also had a place in assisting humans to make it in this world. I call her, my little ambassador of love. While Keefa, had to overcome many obstacles to live in the human world, this little one was loved and cared for since day one. She too came to me in a way that showed me it was "supposed to happen", but the lessons I have learned from her have been very different. Even though she was a little one, she seemed to have no fear, while her larger housemate was filled with fear.

I put the picture of the other domesticated animal, the cat (Indigo) basically just to show how little Mika is. Of course, Indigo is a big boy. When the EMT's were called to my house a couple of months ago, Indigo made himself at home on top of one of their pieces of equipment. The EMT who was attending to me, lifted up the bag where Indigo was sitting, and said "I appreciate cats of substance" I thought that was funny. I took Mika to get professionally groomed for the first time ever today. I usually do it, but realized that I could not physically handle this any more. So, that is why she has a bow around her neck. I am not the kind of human that dresses up their animals!

Ok,my friends. This is a blog that really has not a lot of meaning. Unless you want it to. I titled it in a manor that could stimulate some thought. I sometimes see God in my dog's eyes, actions, and behaviors. Jesus teaches us to love one another, to hold no judgement towards one another. Well, I think that dogs can teach us that easily.

The other day I witnessed something that gave me pause (paws) to reflect about my own behaviour. I watched a couple walking down the street with a dog on a leash. This couple was pretty obviously low income, and possible had some challenges mentally. They were dressed rather oddly, and both were quite dirty. I was sitting in a car, waiting for my friend, so I just sat and watched this couple and their dog. I also watched the people around them. The people that walked by, were seemingly either dismissive of this couple, or appalled by them. The couple would look at people and would smile, but NO ONE returned that. Most would look the other way, and would make sure that there was quite a lot of space between them and the couple. At one point, they stopped walking and sat down on a stone wall. The dog stopped, and looked at them, wagged it's tail, moved very close to them, and licked them on the hand and face. Then, a dog that I could see no human companion anywhere, walked up to check out the couple and their dog. After the dogs did their thing, the new dog turned it's attention to the couple. It wagged it's tail, it let them pet it. It looked quite happy and content.

I was thinking while watching this scene, or listening in my mind rather, to the song by Joan Osborne...."what if God were one of us?" I don't know, but I do think that everything we could learn about loving one another, about loyalty, and non judgemental behaviour....well, could be learned from our Canine friends. I don't think there is a coincidence that God and dog are such similar words!

Hmm, just read back through this, and realized it is pretty much well, not writing I am happy about, but I don't really care......I am tired, so I should have waited, but basically, I just wanted you to see my happy little family. These little creatures are who I find so much comfort from. I so enjoy sharing my life with them, and I sure hope visa versa! I know we all think our animals are the cutest and most special.....I am odd, I don't. I think ALL animals are special. They all help us live a better life in this world, as long as they are treated well by us. So, quit reading this now, and if you are lucky enough to share your life with one of these kinds of God's creatures.....go thank it!