[July 12, 2024] A pet is one of the most beautiful things a kid can have. Pets return the affection you give them, provide company when you are lonely and are loyal. They also never complain, betray you, call you names – they are always there for you.
As a toddler, my dog was a Cocker Spaniel and a lovely dog. Yet, when I was in the first grade, our family had two dogs, a white rabbit, and an unknown number of mama cats that rotated in and out of our home.
The mama cats kept us busy popping out kittens all year, and they were cute and sad to give them away. My Mom said they deserved a good home. But the dogs, two large Rough Collies I had as my responsibility, helped me be a better me.
I was responsible around the house, but I was not a kid who liked being pinned down with household tasks. I was, however, the family dishwasher, my brother the rinser, and my sister the dryer of dishes. I did have a few duties, but most of the time, I was free to roam the town’s neighborhoods with my dogs, going wherever and whenever I wanted.
My mother wasn’t pleased with that arrangement, and I suspect she had to spend more time caring for my younger siblings. Perhaps that was why I was tasked to feed, water, wash, and brush our dogs. Looking back, although I whined about it being too much work, my tasks were light. I was happy.
My collies were beautiful and energetic. They were also fiercely loyal to me. And we went everywhere together and inside any store in town. They were never on a leash. Sadly, they were not allowed in during church services, which was a disappointment since the priest’s church sermons were never that interesting. Two dogs could have made sitting in the church pew easier beside my family.
In addition, to keep their coat looking good, I brushed them at least twice a week. And they were fed two times daily.
A test of one’s loyalty can be summed up in two words, “I care!”
—————
Please read my books:
Gen. Satterfield, I almost missed this article. Thank you for it. ⋆˚🐾˖°
🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕 YES!!!! 🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕
I love my dogs – and a cat – and they are part of my family.
“A pet is one of the most beautiful things a kid can have. Pets return the affection you give them, provide company when you are lonely and are loyal. They also never complain, betray you, call you names – they are always there for you.” – Gen. Doug Satterfield is spot on with this article. I love it.
Well Well Well, we have an article that hits home to me. I’ve always had pets in my family since I was just a toddler. Now, I have a German Shephard female and she is lovely in every sense of the word. And she is protective of my children too, and that is a good thing. I have less to worry about when my dog Bessie is playing with my kids, than if they were running around the community. Kids and pets mix. And that is good for us all.
PETS + KIDS = GOOD
Like many here on Gen. Satterfield’s blog, I too grew up with pets. My parents were poor so we had only small dogs. Now, I understand that many folks don’t like small dogs – there is a claim they are like cats (yuck) – but small dogs eat less, live longer, and are fiercely loyal and are often aggressive against larger dogs and people they do not know. Anyway, I love my “Doogie Dog” more than anything and we went everywhere, except to school and food stores. Fortunately for me and him, we lived in a small town where that was tolerated and everyone knew Doogie Dog and me, as we were inseparable. I had him since before I could remember and he passed only after I was married. Sad days as I look back upon his death but I still smile each time I think of Doogie Dog.
Good story mainer. Congratulations on being their for Doogie Dog.
Manner
Excellent comments
This article takes me back to my childhood, which was a good one, and I remember all the names of my pets, from cats to dogs to hamsters, and my mom and dad helping me care for them and teaching me about love and development as a person. Pets help make that happen.
Autistic Techie, yep, you got that right. I too remember all their names and the love I got from each and the love I returned to them.
” A pet is one of the most beautiful things a kid can have. Pets return the affection you give them, provide company when you are lonely and are loyal. They also never complain, betray you, call you names – they are always there for you.” – Gen. Doug Satterfield. He nails it.
Gen. S, thank you for this lovely article on pets. Kids and their pets, looks like a subject never to be overlooked. And reminds me of my pets growing up.
Yes, and here is an interesting stat: “In fact, children are more likely to grow up in a household with a pet than they are their biological father,” says Dr. Moore.: according to Hodgson K, Barton L, Darling M, Antao V, Kim FA, Monavvari A. Pets’ impact on your patients’ health: leveraging benefits and mitigating risk. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. 2015;28(4):526-534. doi:10.3122/jabfm.2015.04.140254
“Children view pets as a member of the family. To them, it’s not a pet but an extension of their family.”
Bottom line, we love our pets.
Gen. Satterfield, thank you!!!!! Lovely article about pets. For those who can afford to have a pet, it gives us the satisfaction of knowing we can be part of another animal’s life and help make that life a good one. There are, of course, evil people who mistreat animals and we must all be on the lookout for them and do what it takes to remove their pets from their ‘care.’ But overall, pets make our lives better and we learn about responsibility at the same time.
Reminds me of my childhood and my many dogs. I was never a cat person, but I can understand that many, esp girls loved their cats. But dogs, they were a boy’s best friend and always would be. The struggle was when they passed away and a little boy had to learn that life does come to an end. A harsh but practical lesson us men always have to face and learn to face it with dignity. Give your dog (or cat or whatever animal pet) a good life; that is what you can do to be a good person (I’m sounding like Gen. Satterfield here), and a good life is what we should strive to do, always.
Willie, as always, good comment. Gen. Satterfield does have a way with words and him giving such devotion to pets is a telling sign that he is also a compassionate man. Of course, we are also seeing that side of him in his letters to his granddaughter. For those who have not read them, you can find them all here in one place:
https://www.theleadermaker.com/granddaughter-letters/
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Well said. Thanks.
Pets and boys, now that is another title of an article that Gen. Satterfield could write about, and write about all day, I presume. Gen. Satterfield has written extensively about people and their pets, esp. dogs, cats, horses, and the more popular pets. They are inextricably tied to us thru evolution of us all. And that alone, makes them a part of us in ways that maybe we do not understand.
JT, yes indeed, and thanks for picking up on that important point.
Excellent comments Willie