Jack’s Winning Words 4/5/16
“A dog is the greatest gift a parent can give a child.  OK, a good education, then a dog.”  (John Grogan)  Did you have a pet when you were growing up?  It’s said that pets have a way of teaching children life lessons…responsibility, compassion, patience, how to play and how to grieve.  My dog, Sparkie, was really smart, and fun, too.  But there came a time when he liked my aunt and uncle more than me.  They’d take him to the DQ for his own cone.    ;-)  Jack  

FROM ST PAUL IN ST PAUL:  and also a spiritual foundation upon which to build his/her life...    btw, what flavors did Sparkie like at the DQ?   or maybe in those days they only had the plain vanilla stuff...====JACK:  Sparkie would walk 3+ miles, through town, across busy streets, from our house to where my aunt and uncle lived...for that vanilla DQ.  BTW, one of the founders of Dairy Queen belonged to our church and opened one of the first DQs in our city.

FROM HONEST JOHN:  We had chickens and ducks and geese....====JACK:  Would your aunt and uncle take them to the Feed Store?====JOHN:  My Dad took them to the chopping block.... ====JACK: I've always thought that it must be tough for a 4-H youngster to raise an animal that wins a Blue Ribbon at the Fair...and then to see that animal be auctioned off.====JOHN:  It's  tough at any time to see your pet die.    It is a cruel part of life...and there is a lot of cruelty in life.    I guess we have to learn to deal with it.====JACK:  Those who grow up on a farm learn that farming is a business, and animals are a commodity.  Vegans would have a hard time being farmers.

FROM TRIHARDER:  and, educate the dog, too!====JACK:  Another of our dogs, Tiger, was smart, too, and a good learner.  If we'd drop something on the floor, we'd tell him to take it the wastebasket.  He'd pick it up, walk over and drop it in the basket.  If we put a dog biscuit on his nose, he'd hold it there until we snapped our fingers.  He'd then flip it into the air and catch it before it hit the ground.  I don't know if you or I could do that.====TH:  I would tell my dog to go to his room when he wasn't wanted in the main room. He would slowly (and sadly) retreat to the laundry room.
As for balancing a dog biscuit on my nose and then catching it, I'm not that fond of dog biscuits.====JACK:  Try it with a piece of matzos.

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  To a dog, the owner is family.  To a cat, the owner is staff.====JACK:  Our cat, Smokey, lasted about a week.  We couldn't agree as to who was going to be staff.

FROM DM IN LIV:  I took my Katie (daschund / beagle mix) to McDonald’s drive-thru for her plain cheeseburger, hold the bun.  She was in heaven (and now she really is)!!!====JACK:  I've read in the Bible that Heaven is beyond our imagination.  Does that mean that dogs will be there...and McDonald's, too?====DM:  Hahaha…dogs and cats, yes!  McDonald’s????====JACK:  Use your imagination...Golden arches on golden streets seems reasonable.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  Ralph Waldo Emerson opined: "There is one other reason for dressing well, namely that dogs respect it, and will not attack you in good clothes." He did a lot of walking and hiking, I wonder if experience taught this to be true ?!  We always had dogs and cats, as did my kids.  When Bill was in seminary, raising 2 little boys, and every nickel counted, I bought a prized pr. of alligator pumps on sale, which our beagle puppy promptly chewed the heels off, when I carelessly doffed them in the living  room!  I was so mad at him, I "farmed him out"! HA! Lots of funny pet stories at our house, like the time our dog Queenie pulled a lb. of double-dipped chocolate peanuts from the kitchen table and devoured the entire sackfull; Until we discovered the torn sack behind a living room chair, I accused my sons of eating them!  Queenie didn't die, but she did suffer a bit (those mournful eyes!) and was "off her feed" for a couple of days.AND she developed a distinct dislike of chocolate in the process!====JACK:  There are some dogs who are just mean.  They will attack a stranger...good clothes of not.

FROM WATERFORD JAN:  Sparkie also taught you how dogs can be fickle if there's a DQ treat to be had; nevertheless, they always come home after they've licked off their faces.====JACK:  You're right!  But, I can't remember that he walked home on his own.  Most of the time we had to go and get him.

FROM JB AT LSTC:  No fair bribing the dog! I learn lessons from my dog every day – especially about patience, not holding a grudge, and the goodness of food.====JACK:  Isn't it fun to watch a dog when it wags its tail excitedly.  "Happiness is a wagging tail."

FROM RJP IN NAPLES:  Of course you would have a dog named Sparkie, that I do believe. ====JACK:  FROM RJP IN NAPLES:  Of course you would have a dog named Sparkie, that I do believe.====JACK:  He had white, spark-like spot in the middle of his forehead.  Dogs and people, too, are sometimes named for physical characteristics.  I had a friend who first name was Laverne; we all called him, Stinky.

FROM CHESTER THE GOOD:  Had a black lab who looooved DQ! Yes, I said "who", because she was people.====JACK:  What is it that separates humans and animals?  I'm wondering from a scientific point of view.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  Until recently, we've always had dogs.  All of my sisters and my brother did too and still do. When we would get together all the dog would be there also.  It was a big homecoming for them and they loved to play in the AuSable River.  Now we have 3 grand dogs!  They come into our kitchen and open our cabinet door and help themselves to a dog bone.  Dogs and once in awhile a cat have played a large part of our family.  We love them as members!====JACK:  I was always the one who had to take the dog to the vet for the final time.  It's not easy.

FROM JE: Dogs are instinctive, intuitive and more intellectual than we humans give them credit for. Baxter, our cocker/poodle mix is very smart. He puts himself out there for you when you are down and gives that unconditional love you cannot get elsewhere – except from God. He is 10-years-old and has recently had two short seizures. We’ve taken him to the vet both times after each.  Baxter’s reaction has been …. “So what, I’m fine, let’s play.” He doesn’t want to be trouble – he wants to give, give, give of himself. I have learned so much from him. Thanks, Jack====JACK:  Our Sparkie never went to the vet.  He came home once with a gash in his head.  My dad pushed the skin together and held it together with a piece of adhesive tape.  I think that it was all of the DQs that finally did him in.