DON'T TELL THE DOG!

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About 20 years ago, as my little Shih Tzu, Buddy, was aging and approaching her ultimate demise, I looked over at her, and asked a question.

"Buddy, when you cross the Rainbow Bridge, would you like to be freeze dried?"

(Freeze drying is a new fangled technology which will, no doubt, vie for first place in the field of the permanent preservation of an animal. Prior to this, the only viable option was taxidermy). 

At any rate, when I asked Buddy that particular question,... she looked at me like I had slapped her! And then she turned her head away from me.

When Buddy crossed the Rainbow Bridge, I followed through with her obvious wishes. I DIDN'T freeze dry her; (although I would have loved preserving her, and setting her in the corner of my living room).

One would think I would have learned from this experience. (I didn't).

Tonight,when my wife was heading off to bed, along with our precious Papillon, Toby, and Jean and I were exchanging "good nights" she looked over at our little pooch, and said,

"I can see his cataracts on the surface of his eyes."

(Toby is 9 now, and we have been informed that he has cataracts, and his eyesight has been compromised).

Just before my wife headed off to bed, and while Toby was sitting in the living room with us, Jean and I had been talking about our pet's advancing age, and how I didn't want to adopt another dog after he passed, as we will be nearing 80 by that time.

But as my wife spoke about Toby's cataracts, I made the statement,

"Well, we could have the cataracts removed, but it is an expensive proposition, and we're not in a position to do it"

(and)

"You know how I feel about blind dogs"

(and)

"I just can't do blind dogs."

It was then that Toby buried her head in the pillow she was lying on. And then, he momentarily looked up at me, and stared me down.

Folks, don't tell the dog. Never, ever tell the dog!

by William McDonald, PhD