Dogs are our link to paradise.
They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent.
To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring –
it was peace.
~ Milan Kundera
Photo: Amaya Eguizábal with Sitting with the Dog. Quote: From in The Canine Hiker’s Bible by Doug Gelbert (via macrolit)
I’m sorry to have to disagree with Kundera. Dogs do get jealous. When my two dogs, Emma and Ruby, had a (dog) visitor, Ivy, and Ruby tried to be friendly to Ivy, Emma was so jealous that she started seriously fighting with Ruby. They would never fight (except to play), but this was pure jealousy. Emma tried to steer Ruby away from Ivy and when it wasn’t working she got pretty aggressive. I even have to disagree with dogs not feeling discontent. They get bored and whine to come in the house. So, sorry Mr. Kundera. Dogs are not always the way they seem to be when you see them playing in the park. They have personalities a lot like people’s. Not always noble, but we love them anyway.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. But, relative to humans they can turn to light quickly and relative to humans they are far less jealous and far less unhappy, on average. Give a ton, take little, our pets.
Yes. I agree.
I’m sorry you can’t sit on a hillside with yours David. Any prospect of another one to love?
Hmmmm. Boss says not yet.
I think it’s getting to be time, my friend
I think so Mimi…
There is definitely some truth to that. Wish I could just hang with my Zeke instead of schlep off to work now… 😉
Work. Wow. You’re bringing the whole place down. 😀
Them’s the breaks when working in the restaurant biz
The always-on business!
WMS, WMS!!
We’re starting to smell how desperate you are.
Try harder!
Wow. That obvious huh?
Borderline pathetic 🙂
Laughing. Wow
i love that they always offer unconditional love. it comes through.
Sure does
My response was similar to wordsfromanneli’s, David. Yep, they are gorgeous, but; jealousy and discontent raise their little heads, at times. Though, unlike we humans, a little pat on the head and a sharp quick word usually saves the day! I think that’s why I love them so much; they have great personalities that require compassion, understanding and a give and take attitude; just like any human friend ~ except theirs is an unconditional love, with big soulful eyes to boot… 😉 😉
Agree Carolyn. And it is those eyes. 😀
definitely not boring David, when the very second they see you arrive, they grin and shake and can’t contain their joy.
Every Single Time.
That’s it Debi. Like a light switch.
I wish I could love with the pure heart my bullmastiff has for each member of our family. I’m in my 50s and the way I love still has many flaws, but my Lexie loves perfectly. I have so much to learn from her. If humans could love like dogs, this world would be a much better place. Dawn
Dawn, so agree with you. Thank you.
Yeah, this is NOT my experience of dogs. Evil—no, but nervous, jealous, WANTING. And it’s not because I have cats. Cats are the same.