I am a dog person. I'm allergic to cats and don't like them as much as I like dogs, but I've seen a few cats that were so funny I just had to pet them and play with them. We've had four dogs in the family. Vusku, number 3 is still with us and he and Oliver (number 4) were the only dogs we've had at the same time. I like the characteristics of dogs, their love for their family and the courage they have, and when needed, will display. If all of them were still here, I couldn't pay them back for everything they have done for me. One lifetime isn't enough time to complete such a task.
Vusku is a mutt, he looks like Snoopy, except his ears, head and legs are brown and he has a white spot in his chest. Otherwise he's black. He is kinda small, but has a battle-roar that makes you grateful of not being the one it was intented for, and he doesn't bluff. Big men who work as bouncers have retreated, bleeding, after engaging him in combat. To his loved ones, he is trickster (when something tasty is involved) who can never
get enough of petting. He is also territorial and protective to his "pack".
Oliver was an English Springer Spaniel with a sensitive and curious mind and lots of funny traits. Whenever he wanted a door to be opened, he pawed it just once (not in the way dogs dig, but kinda like a human ringing a doorbell) and did it again in a few seconds if no one opened. When someone he liked (most people he liked the second he saw them, but he knew the "weirdos" was cautious around them. Vusku, on the other hand, may need years before he allows someone who isn't a member of the "pack" in the vicinity.) he used to grab a shoe in his mouth (not for tug-o-war, but a reason only he knew) and make these short, growling noices. Then he'd hide the shoe and nip the guest's nose, should he/she crouch and let him come to the licking distance. When he was sad, he went into someone's bed, stuff as much of the covers as possible in his mouth and whine quietly for a while. He differed from Vusku because he was more curious, always
hungry and sometimes a bit silly. Vusku tolerated cats, but didn't like other dogs (than Oliver) or people he didn't know. Oliver liked almost everyone, people or dogs, but
hated cats. When out, me and Oliver used to chase this cat that was always on the loose and used to hiss at him. "Let's see about that", we thought. I don't consider this as abuse towards the cat, we couldn't have caught it (there were always trees and he was a fast one), Oliver and him were just being themselves, a dog and a cat. And I was just playing (and growling) along. And besides, the cat always started it
I admire dogs for their love, loyalty and courage, cats for their agility. Cats can be useful, too. If I lived in the countryside, I'd have cats to keep mice and rats out.
I detest people who scream "That beast must be put away!" whenever they get bitten by a dog. Unless seriously ill, dogs never bite without a reason. I have been bitten by all the four family dogs, and it has always been my fault. People whom a dog doesn't know, usually make mistakes that cause the dog to warn them before he/she will bite, but usually not knowing anything about dogs, they ignore the warning and get bitten. The most often I've seen this happen is when a dog doesn't want to be petted or approached by a stranger, who ignores the warning (growling, stare, stance etc.).
Jani
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Two important questions in life:
Do they have a catalog?
Did you know there's a town called "Batman" in Turkey?
[This message has been edited by Jani Kemppainen (edited 09 October 1999).]
