Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old
Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and
their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker and they were
hoping for a miracle.
I examined Belker and found he was dying. I
told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker and offered to
perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
As
we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be
good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as
though Shane might learn something from the experience.
The next
day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family
surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last
time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few
minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.
The little boy seemed to
accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat
together for a while after Belker’s death, wondering aloud about the sad
fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had
been listening quietly, piped up, “I know why.”
Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation.
He
said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life —
like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?” The
six-year-old continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they
don’t have to stay as long.”
Author Unknown
If a dog was your teacher, these are some of the lessons you might learn:
- When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
- Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
- Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
- When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
- Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
- Never pretend to be something you’re not.
- If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
- When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
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