Aunt Mary's Doghouse

NOT AS MUCH PAIN

A few months ago a colleague was telling me about somebody's dog that had died after a bout with cancer. He said to me, "Well, it's not like the dog suffered very much because they do not feel pain as much as we do". It seems like I have heard this statement a lot recently and I must say I am at least a little perplexed.

This sad situation really got me to think about how much pain a dog does experience. When my "brother" Fritz was about ten years old, he had a very badly infected paw. He could not even put any weight on it so he had at least a certain amount of discomfort. This in itself in my mind weakened the theory some about dogs having less pain.

There is though a pain worse than physical pain. It is the pain of separation. We have all experienced the pain of separation from a loved one and I believe that our canine companions feel this pain in a significant way. When Fritz was going to have his paw worked on he looked back at me with a pain of separation look that I will never forget. He knew that he was in for a difficult time and whether he felt pain in his paw or not, he did not want to brought away from me. He had a straightforward way of showing his displeasure as well and he showed it this day as he bit the vet very hard. At that time I stayed as close as I could to ease his pain of separation.

I am sure we can all relate to pain in our lives, the pain of separation as well as the physical pain we endure. It is no less for the dogs we encounter. As a matter of fact in some cases they are subject to even more pain then we are.

Now for the difference between them and us, they never complain. They will take a considerable amount of suffering with no objection. I would also go out on a limb and say that most of them are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. So, they know when they are not being loved, they know when they are experiencing pain, and they know when they are alone and without love.

Lets not let their lack of complaining hinder us from showing love and affection to these beautiful creations of God's love. They deserve to be comforted and loved. After all, look at yet another lesson they have taught us today. Complaining a little less and loving a little more willl surely make the world a better place.

Deacon Joe Dwyer

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