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My Dog
September 8, 2012

More than a year ago, my son wanted a dog and I had promised him one, so it was time to keep my promise. We went to the local humane society and found an adorable puppy that we adopted, named JoJo, and brought home. It really never crossed my mind why the previous family might have left him at the humane society, and in reflection, Marley would have been a suitable name. For the first few months, our puppy left surprises for us until he got housebroken. Then, the surprises he left us were more creative. One of favorites was a chewed window ledge. Another artistic creation was a chewed corner of plasterboard in the hallway. JoJo had the most fun when he found a seam in the carpet and decided to dig. Thankfully, I had the skills to repair the plasterboard and window ledge. And I knew the carpet was due for replacement, so I could tolerate a mess until my next vacation. A few chewed pillows, socks, and walking shoes later, and we are in the present age. JoJo is more mellow, but full of mischief. When my neighbors take their dog for a walk, their dog walks. JoJo likes to jump, pull on his leash as if he were in the ultimate tug-of-war, and occasionally lie on his back on the sidewalk. I will admit the walk is a work in progress, and JoJo has had all of his veterinarian visits to make sure there are no underlying medical reasons for the not-wanting-to-walk behaviors. But I think I understand when JoJo gets himself in trouble in the house. You see, I prefer indoor dogs, and wand JoJo to be an inside dog. The pattern is simple. JoJo gets into trouble in the afternoon between lunch and dinner when nobody is home. So in my mind, I thought what would cause JoJo to want to chew through the wall, window ledge, and dig through the carpet? The only thought that made sense was JoJo wanted to get outside. So now JoJo gets to spend afternoons outside mostly when nobody is home. I figure with a shaded porch, and plenty of water, and a secure and high enough wall around the backyard we will be good. And as long as I remember to get JoJo outside for the afternoons, JoJo is good. So why do I mention this story of JoJo? Pets are an important part of many families. And if you have pet, treat your pet well. And the Bible gives advice on the treatment of animals.

Proverbs 12:10
A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

The Bible shows that the righteous regard the lives of their animals. Even though a solution to my problem might have been to take JoJo back to the humane society, I knew doing so would have violated this principal. JoJo needs his hair combed out, needs baths on occasion, and lots of attention around the house. To keep his energy up, JoJo also needs food. So we make sure JoJo is fed twice a day, with the treat every so often. I couldn't imagine not feeding my dog and sadly, sometimes we hearstories of neglect. JoJo has lots of energy. His energy rivals what you might see in a sled dog. Not feeding JoJowould be cruel. His energy would fade quickly. It's sort of like what happens when your car runs out of gas, and that happened to me once, and only once in my life. For those who haven't figured it out yet, when your car runs out of gas, it stops. And for those with an electric car, when you run out of power, your car stops. And this concept relates to a Biblical principal from the time of Moses.

Deuteronomy 25:4
Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

God knows that to get the job done, energy needs to be expended, and for those of us living in the physical realm, including animals, our energy source is food. We need to eat to produce. It's that simple. Another concept at work here, is you can't stop somebody from enjoying the benefits of their job. For the ox in the scripture, the benefit is the immediate availability of food. And for many of our pets, the immediate benefit is companionship, safety, and love. Even God is aware of the plight of animals that might be easy to ignore.

Matthew 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

And with these verses we begin to understand why treating animals is important. It's not so much about them, as it is about us. Treating animals with kindness and love helps us remember the love and concern that God has for each of us. Yes, JoJo is a handful, and with JoJo I have many opportunities to practice forgiveness, and in return I receive many doggie kisses and hugs. So be kind to your animals, and share with them your love as you would want God to love you.

All verses are from the King James Version.
This site provided by Tom Laign. To all who may believe differently, I also extend peace and love.
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