People who study
dogs generally agree that dogs evolved out of wolves, not the jackal as some
had once thought. The story goes that
wolves gradually insinuated themselves into the camps and caves of primitive
human beings, drawn by food and warmth, or were invited in to provide
protection. Were they invited or did
they invite themselves? Probably both. It certainly was the case with Roxie.
About six months
after our black lab, Flora, had been put down because of kidney cancer, our
veterinarian, Dr. Michelle Brennan, in California called to say that she had
unusual lab for us, one that she had rescued, and asked if she could bring her
by our house. Her previous custodians had
planned to put her down because she had only three legs. After sniffing each other out, she stayed for
15 years. She came to the house and
wanted to come in, and we invited her in, all of it simultaneously.
The
week before last she died peacefully in our own bed. She was nearly comatose and incontinent,
refusing food and water. The
veterinarian said that her organs “were shutting down.”
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The unspoken
agreement between the dogs and human beings is a trade-off, protection for food
and warmth. Now, Roxie, a yellow lab,
wasn’t much of a protector anymore although she did bark when someone came to
the front door. In human terms at 16 she
was about 112 years old. She didn’t walk
on her own anymore, slept most of the day, and possessed a beautiful
smile. With her luminescent pink snout
aglow, she always greeted us with a wagging tail, barks of joy, and smiles. You can’t say that for every loved-one and
friend. With Roxie it was every time. That’s worth a lot, especially nowadays in
such a bellicose society as ours.
Some
have asked why we didn’t put her down earlier.
She was in good health and happy until the last few days which brings us
to another, more important reason, that we invite dogs into our houses. They
bring us joy. They’re great companions. We play with them, take them for walks, and
simply enjoy their comforting presence.
Roxie was an in-house therapy dog.
She was a pleasure, especially her large soulfully hazel eyes. Stroking her, she drew out stress and anger, replacing
them with ease and bonhomie. She was at
our sides on her pad in front of the fireplace as we either watched television or
read. I passed her bed every night as I
went to bed. After my prayers, I always
paused to stroke her and kiss her good night, more for me than for her.
Although
many may disagree, Roxie had a soul, just as did Flora. Souls can be seen in the eyes which
I am told are windows to the soul. After
eighty-six years, I have come to a sadness.
Not everyone has a soul because some people had traded them, just as did
Faust, for something of lesser value. It
can be seen in their eyes, the eyes of a snake, blank. We have fancy words for these transactions
involving power, privilege, money, lust, and other tawdry goods: sociopath and
psychopath. It’s a trading down.
Dogs
are good at assessing people because they don’t get entangled in the contents
of communication. Some studies have shown
that 87% of communication is in gestures, expressions, and tones of voice. Thirteen percent is in content. Human beings clog their brains with content
and often ignore the real forms of communication. Roxie didn’t.
Communication other than personal is unreliable and unsatisfactory,
automaton like. Roxie was a whizz at
assessing people which is another reason to believe she had a soul.
I feel sorrow for
people who don’t like dogs and despise people who maltreat dogs. Dogs with souls are far more rewarding companions
than human beings who have traded their souls for the tawdry. We grieve in the emptiness of Roxie’s
passing, and in our evening prayers we pray for her soul in her passing.
All in all, the
greatest gift of dogs is that they humanize us.
Copyright
© Dana Prom Smith 2013
Dana Prom Smith and Freddi Steele edit
GARDENING ETCETERA for the Arizona
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