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I hate dogs. But not generally. I like dogs that endure cold winter nights… outdoors, keeping an eye on their master's property. I like dogs that have never felt the warmth of a piece of comfy rug, a sofa, or a b-e-d. I like dogs that are too proud to touch processed canned food -- Because it is so undoggie. Dogs are carnivorous which means they only eat meat- no corn or wheat...if they are given a choice… they are not Vegetarian!
I like dogs… that only know the hands that feed them and bite any random hand that tries to pet them. I love dogs that abhor America's ritual of ridiculous vanity and appreciate purpose.
Generally speaking, I hate American dogs. I hate them because you treat them better than you do your fellow human beings… who were born in that
unfortunate region known as the "developing world"….That part of the world where human beings live under conditions much, much inferior to those under which most American dogs live.
I come from a poor country in the horn of Africa. There we call all dogs, dogs. We do not have names for each breed such as retriever, bulldog, corgi, and so on... Or personify them calling them "baby, good girl, or good boy". In Africa people do not name their dogs. THE very few who do, give them names like "mandefro- a synonym FOR dare-devil. Forget petting dare-devil. If the dog does not recognize your smell, it means you will be chased, tackled and brutally bitten. And if you think its a mad dog, people will laugh at you -- you are the one who is mad, because you tried to pet the dog.
I went to Connecticut with my American girlfriend to celebrate my first Thanksgiving with her parents. As I stood on the door step holding my backpack and my girlfriend's pink traveling bag -- playing the nice guy. My girlfriend KNELT down on the door mat screaming...."Hey Bella! How are you girl?…" Talking to a dog about the size of my grand mother's pregnant cat- With more fur of course.
IT WAS Such an awkward cultural shock for me. M-Y G-I-R-L friend continued rolling all over the floor kissing the dog and making strange sounds- to say the least. …Later she said hello to her parents.
Actually Bella seemed to be much more excited to see my girlfriend than her parents did. Bella, I was told, is a Corgi. I later learned from my girlfriend that the queen of England has Corgis and my girlfriend's parents take pride in having this unique breed. And that they paid dearly for it. A thousand dollars just to own it.
They showed me what a "good girl" Bella is and displayed the human skills the dog has… such as shaking hands and sitting when ordered. I would have agreed with them if they told me the dog chased a thief down the road a week ago… That is what dogs do. BUT THIS dog seemed happy to get a treat from the owners after trading its doggie identity.
Bella is an important member of the family. Its pictures and fur are everywhere. One particular picture that hang on the fridge grabbed my attention. Bella is wearing a life jacket and sitting on the family's boat. Lucky dog, I thought! but I could not help thinking of the Millions of children that die in floods, OR FROM water born disease, and hunger … world wide. And I ask myself why? I look up to God for explanation. But he is busy celebrating his birthday with a dog show. I am talking about a Christmas day dog show I watched on TV in Florida. Dogs washed and Shampooed, their fur dried and combed so that they can TAKE center stage. They HAD THE elite watching them in the arena wearing tuxedos IN the dogs' honor.
But what do I Know? I am not in the position to criticize these educated, smart people who have achieved a lot in life. Maybe I am just out of place, out of class, BUT I hope not out of my mind.
A class MATE of mine was dog sitting for a rich New York family last summer. Her responsibilities apart from washing and playing with the dogs included, giving two dogs medication. Apparently, according to A PET psychiatrist one of them has ADD -- Attention Deficit Disorder or in short has trouble focusing. The other developed a Post-traumatic-disorder -- which means it is depressed because the other dog has trouble focusing. By virtue of some dog-miracle the dogs know what is going on. During my nine months in New York I have learned a lot about dogs than I needed. For a person who speaks English as a Second Language I have added new phrases like doggie daycare and doggie spa.
There HAS BEEN one exception [- though- DELETE] to THE American dogs I HAVE met. I do not know ITS name. I never asked. Because it is a dog. What I really liked about this dog was the fact that it was leading a visually impaired person down the street. IT had a placard attached to it neck that read, "No petting Please-- I am working". That!…is the kind of dog I am talking about -- a dog with a purpose. SO WHEN YOU WALK YOUR DOGS, if you see a suspicious guy who changes course, that has to be me or my soul MATE.
BACKANNOUNCE: Henok Fente is a student in New York. To many dog owners' relief, he is not a veterinary student.