[December 31, 2023] As I type this article, my last blog post of the year, my dog Bella is at my feet. She is sleeping there but also in her protective mode, guarding me from any danger lurking and unknown. A few days ago, she returned to the veterinarian’s office for a second emergency visit in a week. Bella is almost nine years old, making her a “senior” dog and thus more likely to have health problems, like me. But she stands guard like the many heroes I’ve written about on my blog. Dogs are us.
I talked with other dog owners while waiting for her X-rays in the veterinarian’s office. These folks were all very different – age, status, race – but we all had something in common that tied us together: dogs. I waited for four hours, which gave me the time to chat with people I would never have spoken to or seen. I would ask, “Why did you get your dog?” Unsurprisingly, most said, “I love dogs.” But their companionship with their dog was what they were talking about. Their dogs were a crucial part of their lives. Dogs were part of their family and we can learn so much from them.
One young lady was there to have her dog put down. Her dog was a 16-year-old Yellow Labrador Retriever, just like my Bella. How unusual it was for me actually to feel for her. That was unlike me because I’m not much of an empathic person. She was distraught. She was crying. She was hugging this big old dog named Sam. She told me she got Sam as a puppy when she was nine. I will be there in her spot in a few years, doing the same thing with Bella. My wife cannot even talk about facing this.
In came a young puppy, about ten weeks old and full of high energy, immediately jumping onto the clerk’s desk, creating a brief moment of chaos. Wow, a dog that loves visiting the vet’s office is a rarity. I asked the man and woman if this was a Belgian Malinois, and yes, the pup was a Malinois. We discussed the breed, their high energy level, and training challenges. And, of course, like others there, I was allowed to pet the dog, scratching his hunches and behind his ears.
Dogs are family. They help make us better. My dog Bella certainly does so, and she will never be forgotten. Dogs are us.
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Please read my books:
Beautiful dogs.
Gen. Satterfield, I hope your Bella is okay.
Excellent article my friend. Dog 🐕 man best friend 🧡. Loyalty. We can learn alot from that. Are we loyal to each other as dog loyalty to us .
Eddie, first, Happy New Year, and thank you for your recent article. Yes, Gen. Satterfield knows what he is talking about and anyone who reads up on dogs knows that they are American’s favorite pet with Yellow Labs being the top pick of all the dogs. Now, personally I have a Great Dane and she is black and the greatest lover and protector of my family. Dogs are the best because they are the most loyal. Thanks again Eddie. You are the best.
Greg
Thanks for your comments. A person who lives in my apartment have a great Dane. It’s such s tall dog. How is it around your children and guests?
My brother had a yellow lab. She passed year year old age.
Sir, you da man for your love of dogs.
DOGS ARE US
DOGS ARE US
DOGS ARE US
Get a dog. Learn to train and care for your dog properly. You will learn more and love more than you ever knew before. Be a dog man like me. You will never regret that decision. Kinda like reading Gen. Satterfield’s books like “55 Rules for a Good Life.”
Gen. Satterfield’s books are rad. 📚
I want to encourage potential owners seeking to adopt dogs to visit local shelters and rescues or to use adoption databases like AdoptAPet.com to find animals that need to be rehomed. Pets adopted from shelters and rescues generally also have the benefit of being already spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped. Adopt a pet is the way to go. If you want a puppy to raise as you see fit, they also have plenty of puppies (which I recommend as long as you know what you are doing). Gen. Satterfield is right “Dogs are us.” Never forget our furry friends.
૮⍝• ᴥ •⍝ა
Good one, IS. And thanks.
Hey guys, if you want to see some live action with our furry missiles, then watch cop videos you can find on the Internet while police dogs take down the perps who try to run away. Great entertainment as our furry friends find the bad guys and force them to submit to the cops.
I think it’s safe to say we love dogs. But there is a big problem brewing in America and I think in most European countries too. The estimated number of pets taken in by animal shelters annually ranges from 4 to 6 million. While cats “are faring pretty well,” dog adoptions are down 1.2% from 2022, Shelter Animals Count reported. Meanwhile, 5% more animals entered facilities in 2023 than left. Let us never forget our furry friends.
Thanks for the alert Bryan. I never knew.
Bryan, yep, this has been a big problem since the end of the COVID “epidemic.”
HAPPY NEW YEAR, sparkles.
✨✨✨✨✨
… and kisses at midnight. YES! 🙅😴🛌🕛
Good article on the benefits of having a dog.
“Dogs: Our best friends in sickness and in health”
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322868
Many studies have suggested that having dogs as pets is associated with better physical health, as reviews of the existing literature show. These findings persist. Cheers.
Good advice. When you see a dog, ask permission from the owner to pet the dog. Then pet the dog. Everyone gets better every time you pet a dog.
Gen. Satterfield, great final post of the year.
🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈
Dogs are us! YES! I’ve been saying this for years and finally we have Gen. Satterfield on board. Although, I do have to admit that he has been with us now for a long time. He has at least half a dozen articles about dogs.
https://www.theleadermaker.com/?s=dogs This is a search and includes also his popular series on letters to his granddaughter when he discusses dogs.
Dogs Dogs Dog. I love them all. BTW, who isn’t a dog lover, if given the chance to have and raise one. 🐶
Such a beautiful dog, Bella. Sir, thank you for sharing her with us.
Cool pix of a dog.
Look at the entire post.
You will like it.
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⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠻⣿⣺⣿⣿⣻⢦⣤⣤⣀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣸⢿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⢿⣿⣧⠀⠉⠉⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡿⣾⠹⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣾⠛⣯⣷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢈⣷⡿⠀⠘⠻⣤⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⠟⠁⠀⢿⣸⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⣿⡇⠀⠀⠖⠀⠙⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠁⢶⠀⠀⢸⣿⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠉⠉⠙⠒⠒⠒⠖⠶⠦⠤⠤⢤⡤⣤⠤⣤⢤⡤⣤⢤⡤⠤⠤⠤⠴⠶⠒⠒⠒⠒⠊⠉⠉⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
WOW, DPG, you da man. ❤❤❤❤❤
You da man, Dead Pool Guy. Love it.