The news outlets keep telling us that people have become more violent in recent years. Certainly, their manners have deteriorated. Trying to maintain older ideas of proper behavior is becoming more and more difficult. Sometimes I find myself distressed by the lack of consideration shown to customers when shopping, or drivers in traffic, or even on campuses where students disrespect professors and administration in ways unheard of half a century ago. It distresses me and can cause my temper to rise. “Temporarily ornery” is a new term I heard the other day. It seems to fit the way some things make me feel.

There is an instant cure for that condition. It takes the form of a warm, furry, animal, preferably a dog. Though for some people a cat is the pet of choice. I have two dachshunds, and often baby sit two more for my son. These animals keep us sane. They have a remarkable ability to calm our nerves, a quality we need now more than ever as the world carreens toward universal madness or a One World Order.

The universities foster mediocrity rather than creativity or critical thinking. If you think too hard about the state of the country or the world, today, it will just make you angry or frightened. No matter which side you are cheering for, they have faults. But owning a pet makes it all bearable. The unconditional love they show us is healing and nurturing.

Though the current thinking among progressives includes confusion about the number of sexes as well as other things that used to be non-negotiable such as “what is a woman?”. They support a desire to change from male to female or vice versa even in young children. Vegan dogs and transgender children are both in the hands of their elders or owners. As the meme says: We all know who made the decision.

Dogs are NOT Vegan and prepubescent children are NOT transgender.

Yet they persist. They also claim to want all the immigrants legal or illegal that wish to come here. Some of them, especially the younger ones belive that health care is a right, and being fed is a right, and housing is a right. How did this happen? When I was young none of those things were considered “by right” services. Churches and other Charities, benevolent doctors, and the kindness of relatives sufficed to keep these people housed. The crazy ones were institutionalized. If these ideas bother you, just have a short conversation with your dog (or better yet, dogs). That will give your worries the boot! Your racing mind slows to a dog paddle and your whole being is suffused in love which knows no limits.

And on the other side, some born again Christians are judgemental and rigid. Other conservatives are so resistant to change that they need help getting through daily life because they refuse to use a cell phone or get digital email. The left says the right are racist, elitist, Nazis. They used to add Anti-semetic, but now THEY are the ones who are anti-semetic. Ironic, isn’t it? Get a dog and stop worrying about all this name calling.

There is a joke told among men, that says something like: If you want to know who loves you most, try locking your wife and your dog in the trunk of your car for an hour. Just wait and see which one is happy to see you, covering you with kisses when you let them out!

Seriously, dogs are more than just therapuetic. They may actually be “angels” in disguise. The love hormones they exude flood the atmosphere around them and around you, too. They can heal the sick and in fact they can often determine when a person is sick or coming down with an illness, even cancer.

Someone I love very much has a great number of dogs. Lately this person kept a puppy from the latest litter from one of her dogs. I asked her, “How many dogs do you have?”
She answered me straight faced saying, ” We don’t keep count.”
( I believe they have 7) (or 8)

Raising dogs is marvelous, heartbreaking (when we outlive them) and life saving because they make life worth living. Some people always get rescue dogs while others only want purebred breeds. Having had both, the point is they all love you. Big ones, small ones and funny looking ones are all warm and toasty on a cold winters night. They make us get up and let them out, so they exercise us. They demand to be fed and seem to instinctively know to the minute when a meal should be offered. They guard our property and have been known to save lives. They are not called Man’ Best Friend for nothing. Even if your dog is demanding, or barks too much or brings you live animals (or dead ones) through the dog door, they are worth all the inconveniences. They make us joyful. They nurse us through tragedy or depression, and expand our happy times one hundred fold.

If you don’t have some sort of pet, go out and get one, right now! You will be happy you did.

Copyright©. 2025 Bonnie B. Matheson