Category: Dogs

Postscript on dear Corrie

Even in death, there is goodness.

Learning from Dogs has been running since July 15th, 2009. Between all of the authors and contributors there have been 813 Posts presented.  None has had more comments than the Post published on the 12th January, 2010 about the loss of our dear Mexican rescue dog, Corrie.  So for all our sakes, I just wanted to highlight the love that Corrie’s death has mirrored by reproducing the comments added to that article.

 

Corrie in Winter snow - January 2nd 2011

 

From Rosemarie and Joe (see the poem later on).

We are so sorry to hear of your loss of beloved Corrie. This is a beautiful picture of Jeannie with her girl! Our thoughts are with you both!

From Dogkisses.

Corrie… so beautiful. I’m very sorry for your loss. Bless your hearts with peace.

From Gloria and Barry.

Sorry you lost your darling dog – today has been full of tears for us Australians so much lost in so short a time can only be thankful our family is all safe – our thoughts are with you.

From Sue Dreamwalker.

I know only too well the grief of losing such a beloved friend of our most loyal of animal kingdoms.. My heartfelt thoughts are with you both. Her soul goes on, and she will be forever faithfuland stay close to those who gave her back the unconditional love she gave you.

From Becky Bains.

Our love and thoughts go out you guys. When we lost Susie we were heartbroken. One of our friends posted this to us. I hope it brings some comfort. Love to you. xx

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

From Dogkisses.

Dear Paul,
I just wanted to say my girl Free is there, running in the meadows and playing with her cousin.
I saw her many times after she left this earth. She was happy in my very clear visions until one day when I was so sad. I was crying over missing her. I saw her that day in my living room. Her head was leaning to one side, as if to say she didn’t understand, and I heard her spirit questioning me. I didn’t hear words out loud, but I heard her message –”I thought you promised you would be okay.”
That day, I met my girl Ruthie. I’ve never seen Free again, not so clearly, not like I did in those weeks before I found Ruthie. I know it sounds off the wall, and it is, but it sure happened.
Sometimes, I still see a picture of Free in my mind. She is always smiling and happy. I promised her I would remember our good times and as hard as I imagined that would be, every time I think of her, I nearly laugh, just like I am as I write about her.
She continues to give, even though she had to cross that bridge.

Peace to you and your family.

A poem sent in the mail to us from Rosemarie and Joe.

When God had made the earth and the sky,

The flowers and the trees,

He then made all the animals

And all the birds and bees.

And when His work was finished,

Not one was quite the same.

He said, “I’ll walk this Earth of mine,

And give each one a name”,

And so He travelled land and sea,

And everywhere He went,

A little creature followed Him,

Until its strength was spent.

When all were named upon the earth,

And in the sky and sea,

The little creature said, “Dear Lord,

There’s not one left for me.”

The Father smiled and softly said,

“I’ve left you to the end,

I’ve turned my own name back to front,

And called you Dog my friend.” Author unknown.

That’s all for today, but tomorrow I want to add a further thought about the power of love that has come out of Corrie’s sad but meaningful death.

Corrie R.I.P.

The painful loss of a beautiful dog.

This is not the time to engage in deep philosophical thoughts about death, dogs and what we can learn from them.  I shall leave that for later.

Just to hold dear in our minds what dogs offer humanity.  Dear friends, Rosemarie and Joe, who lunched with us yesterday gave us the following poem and it seems a very apt way to send out prayers into the universe.

Corrie, just 10 days ago.

With eye upraised his masters look to scan,

The joy, the solace and the aid of man.

The rich man’s guardian and the poor man’s friend,

The only creature faithful to the end. George Crabbe

Corrie died at 01:30 this morning with Jean and me holding her tight in our arms and our prayers.  She was a good dog.  Her loving and faithful soul will return.

Dear Corrie – you are now at peace for evermore.

Rupert Sheldrake continued

Did you watch the video of Sheldrake discussing The Morphogenetic Universe?  If not then you may want to start here, at yesterday’s Post.

Rather than crowd that article, here is more to provide you with a broader perspective of Sheldrake’s work.

Firstly, Rupert Sheldrake’s very interesting website is here.

Secondly, there is a video here of a talk given by Rupert Sheldrake about animal telepathy.  The talk was given to an audience at Schumacher College in South Devon, England.  Well worth settling down to watch – and be amazed.

Finally, there are many videos on YouTube for those that wish to explore this in more detail.  Here’s a taste.

Enjoy!

Serious Learning from Dogs!

A fascinating talk by Rupert Sheldrake on Morphic Fields, Morphic Resonance and ESP

In 1981 Rupert Sheldrake outraged the scientific establishment with his hypothesis of morphic resonance. A morphogenetic field is a hypothetical biological field that contains the information necessary to shape the exact form of a living thing. A presentation at the Biology of Transformation Conference in 2007.

If the sub-heading means as little to you as it did to me when I was introduced to this speaker and his ideas, then hang on for a small while.  But thanks to Peter N, I have had my eyes opened big time about a number of concepts.  Such as have you ever wondered how at times you ‘sense’ who is ringing you before you answer the phone?  Or how your pet cat or dog, especially your dog, knows when you are returning home even outside a normal pattern of your behaviour?

Rupert Sheldrake is a serious scientist, indeed a Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge University.  He is a Research Fellow of the Royal Institute.

So if you trust what is presented on Learning from Dogs, then trust this one and settle down and watch the video.  It will truly open your eyes in a way that you won’t anticipate.  The video is 1 hour 20 minutes long but within 10 minutes you’ll be hooked!

The link is here http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-4105824266525326404&hl=en&fs=true

More about Rupert Sheldrake tomorrow.

Just pause and …

think about dogs, whether you have one, or not, whether you like them or not; think what we learn!

Much of it best described in the words and poetry of others.

Take this, for example:

If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,
If you can face the world without lies and deceit,
If you can say honestly that deep in your heart you have no prejudice against creed, color, religion or politics,
Then, my friend, you are almost as good as your dog.

Unknown Author

Then there’s Bobby, better known as Greyfriars Bobby.

 

Bobby - Auld Jock's dog

 

On 15th February 1858, in the city of Edinburgh, a man named John Gray died of tuberculosis.Gray was better known as Auld Jock, and on his death he was buried in old Greyfriars Churchyard.

Bobby, a wee Skye Terrier, belonged to John, who had worked for the Edinburgh City Police as a night watchman, and the two were virtually inseparable for approximately two years.

Bobby led his master’s funeral procession to the grave at Greyfriars Cemetery, and later, when he tried to stay at the graveside, he was sent away by the caretaker.

But the little dog returned and refused to leave, whatever the weatherconditions. Despite the efforts of the keeper of the kirkyard, John’s familyand the local people, Bobby refused to be enticed away from the grave for any length of time, and he touched the hearts of the local residents.

Although dogs were not allowed in the graveyard, the people rallied round and built a shelter for Bobby and there he stayed, guarding Auld Jock.

For fourteen years Bobby lay on the grave, leaving only for food.

Read the rest of this moving tribute here.

Here’s another well-known saying from an unknown author.

“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.”

I could go on and on but let me close with this eulogy for the dog, delivered at the Old Courthouse in Warrensburg by Attorney, George C Vest sometime around 1870:

The best friend man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son, or daughter, that he has reared with loving care, may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and good name may become traitors to their faith. The money a man has he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our head.

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog. A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground when the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only to be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince.

When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wing, and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.

If fortune drives his master forth, an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him, to guard him against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when that last scene of all comes, and death takes his master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there, by the graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad, but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true, even in death.

Senator George Graham Vest, speaking to a jury about Old Drum, shot in 1869

There’s the full history of this sad event here.

 

Old Drum on the grounds of the Johnson County Courthouse in Warrensburg, Missouri.

We have so much to learn from dogs!

 

For those that don’t believe in Santa!

(Sent to me by Neil K who used to be a neighbour in my Devon days!)

It’s very sentimental – so be warned!

Click here.

 

Dogs and People Two

If you missed the start, see here.

 

Happy Days

One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you’re feeling blue is that he doesn’t try to find out why. ~Author Unknown

Exactly!

Quiet Blog day

So here’s a nice distraction- thanks to Sherry Jarrell who sent them to me.

Learning from dogs!

There are about 23 or 24 pictures on the theme of what dogs mean to humans and every odd day or two over the Christmas period, you can enjoy one of them.

Here’s the first:

Continue reading “Quiet Blog day” →

Nature can be very cruel

This is a guest Post from Chris Snuggs, a good friend of Learning from Dogs.

Dog Pack Attacks Alligator In Florida

At times nature can be cruel, but there is also a raw beauty, and even a certain justice manifested within that cruelty. The alligator, one of the oldest and ultimate predators, normally considered the “apex predator”, can still fall victim to implemented ‘team work’ strategy, made possible due to the tight knit social structure and “survival of the pack mentality” bred into the canines.

See the remarkable photograph below courtesy of Nature Magazine.

Note that the Alpha dog has a muzzle hold on the gator preventing it from breathing, while another dog has a hold on the tail to keep it from thrashing.  The third dog attacks the soft underbelly of the gator.


This is pretty gruesome, so I have made a link to it instead
of showing it at once in case you would prefer not to see it.

More about Chris here.

Everything revolves around love.

This is not corny, this is at the heart of everything in life.

Nearly a month ago, I wrote a piece called The Power of Love.  It was offered as a logical argument in favour of love – read it if you want to see what was written.

In line with the general Blog theme on here that we have much to learn from dogs and unconditional love is the BIG lesson we should take from these noble animals, here’s a lovely story that was sent to me by a dear friend.

WHOEVER DID THIS IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL PERSON

The ‘whoever’ being someone at a dead letter office within the US Postal System.

Here’s how it goes.

Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Abbey and Meredith

Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her.. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her You will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.
Love, Meredith

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it.. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, ‘To Meredith’ in an unfamiliar hand.. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, ‘When a Pet Dies..’ Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey &Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,
Abbey arrived safely in heaven.
Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away.
Abbey isn’t sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don’t need our bodies in heaven, I don’t have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by..
Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.
I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.
By the way, I’m easy to find, I am wherever there is love.

Love,
God

[The book is available on Amazon here. I have no financial interest in providing you with the link. Ed.]

Thanks Julie for sending that in – it’s a very moving example of unconditional love and generosity.

By Paul Handover