Canine Heartbreak

[Ann Mintz]

“The word is divided into that which is peanut butter and that which is not,” my friend Jack used to say. What he meant is that any sentence that begins “there are two kinds of people in the world…” always and inevitably oversimplifies the situation.

That being said, there are two kinds of dog owners, people who treat their dogs with love and tenderness, who care for them in sickness and in health, whose hearts break when their dogs age and die, and people who lock their dogs in closets and foreclosed houses and walk away, people who throw dogs off roofs and do things I know about but can not bear to think about.

Speaking as the first kind of dog owner, I think it probably is better that my dog does not understand the word “cancer,” that he cannot fear the future. His
particular cancer is not too bad, as these things go, and we still have some
good years ahead of us. But he will break my heart, sooner or later, and now I know how.

[Bill Floyd]

My best friend just got a similar diagnosis for his dog. Maggie is a 3-legged dog who is among the fastest and fleetest of animals I have ever seen, and real sweet, too. My friend is the good kind of dog owner, and this is shaping up to be a tough week for them. My heart goes out to all y'all. Thanks for writing this.

[Ann Mintz]

Of course it's an over simplification-- and Sandra, you are not a dog owner but a dog observer. Plenty of indifference there! It's not terrible, as cancer goes-- slow growing and not aggressive. Median survival, 600-1000 days. Upsetting though.

Tyler is a rescue too, as all our dogs have been.

[Sandra Davies]

Ann, I have to point out that there is a middle ground with regard to dogs - I view with bemusement the adoration of their canine pets by many of my friends, but that doesn't mean I would throw them (dogs, not friends) off a roof, given half a chance ... 'indifferent' probably sums me up most accurately.

[Mik Jacobs]

We don't have dogs but our cats are like children. Any bad news is consuming, good years ahead or not. But good years they will be. Well written and well said.

[shauna mcclure]

Topanga goes everywhere with me. We got her at the shelter. Your lovely six made me think of the Kristofferson (I think?) lyric, "some good times behind us and some good times to go". This is heartbreaking but so poignant. I hope you have quite a few happy years ahead with your four-legged friend.