Our family has had quite a few pets: dogs, cats, ducks,
snakes, gerbils, a tarantula, a skink and lots of fish. Currently, we just have two dogs. One
is a big, beautiful, eight year old Siberian Husky. I don’t say he is beautiful
to brag. I say it because people will stop their cars when we are out for a
walk and say, “Wow! That is a beautiful
dog!”
The thing about it is, I think he knows he is beautiful. I
think he knows when people stop their cars, and talk to us, that they are
talking about him. His name is Tacoma, and one
of my friends described him in one word ‘regal’. That really does sum it up. He is regal. He acts like he is
the king of everything. He acts like everyone and everything is beneath him. He
likes people and he likes to be petted, but he would never lower himself to beg
or jump on you just to be petted. He will walk close to you and offer you his
beautiful fur, for your opportunity to pet him. He, very seldom, will lower
himself to bark. Again, I think he thinks barking is for little dogs, that are
not large and in charge, like he is. When we go walking, he proudly holds his
head up high, walks a straight line, knows where we are going, thinks he is
leading, and does not even glance at the poor dogs yapping away at him from
inside a fence. He is purpose driven, and knows his assignment is to get his
pack completely around our walking path. He does not have time to stop and
smell the roses or acknowledge any other dogs along the way.
We have another dog too. I hate for her to be called ‘the
other dog’, but that is what she is. We got her from a rescue shelter, when she
was a puppy. Her tag said she was Australian Shepherd mix. The truth is, she is
mostly mix. As the vet said, “She looks like an ordinary ‘rez dog’, a little bit
of everything.” Great. I was hoping she would be more Australian Shepherd
looking, so she could hold her own with the regal dog. No such luck. She looks
very ordinary, tan, short hair, medium sized, like so many other mutts walking
around. We named her Darla, because she
was so darling when she was a
puppy. The thing that makes her special though is that she loves everybody.
She does think everyone around her wants to pet her and she wants to show
doggie love to everyone who comes close to her. She wags her tail and shakes her whole body, so excited to
see new people. Even when she comes in the house for the tenth time in the
morning, she acts like she hasn’t seen us in days. In many ways, she is the
opposite of Tacoma. She knows she is not the boss of anyone. She obeys all the
non-verbal, dog dominant communication that Tacoma shows her. If they are
getting treats, Tacoma always gets the first one. If they are getting fed, she
lets Tacoma choose the bowl he wants first. If he wants her pillow, chew toy,
bone or treat, she will automatically acquiesce to his preference. Sometimes he
wants his bone AND her bone, and will get both. She will sit a few feet away,
wagging her tail, watching his every move and waiting to see if he will get up
and leave one of the bones, so she can snatch it back. She is the happiest dog
we have ever had, and really, the happiest one in our family. She will never
make it on the cover of Dog Magazine,
but she brings a lot of joy to our family.
They say that dog owners start to look like their dogs. I
wonder how we look. Do I want to look beautiful, but act large and in charge,
like everyone else owes me something, like Tacoma? Or would I rather look plain
and ordinary, but show love to everyone I meet, like Darla? I always choose
Darla, anytime there is an opportunity where I can (or should) only take one
dog. Nobody is going to comment about how beautiful she is. But, she will make
others feel loved just by her enthusiasm to see them and her sweetness while
she is around them.
As much as our world admires and is impressed by beautiful
looking people, and dogs, I would much rather be a person who shows love to
others, who is enthusiastic to see anyone new, and who is sweet to those around
me. Just like it says in 1 Samuel 16:7 “People look at the outward appearance,
but the Lord looks at the heart.”
How about you? Do you
have a beautiful dog or one with a sweet spirit?
