We’ve always had dogs – all types of dogs from really big guard dogs to dainty toy poodles.  Our dogs attract some attention because they are well trained in obedience and in guard work. In these difficult times a good guard dog is as essential as burglar guards on the windows – or burglar alarms.

We’ve had Border Collies, German Shepherds, Cairn Terriers, and Poodles.  But our most impressive and glamorous dog is undoubtedly our huge harlequin Great Dane.  A harlequin is a black and white dog that looks something like a Friesland cow.  And he’s almost as big!

Our Great Dane is tall, well-built and dignified and he weighs in at about 180 pounds. When he barks the ground reverberates.  When he stands up on his hind legs and rests his paws on the front gate he reaches a height of almost 7 feet. He reminds me of the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale of the dog with eyes as big as saucers!

His size alone is enough to put anyone off. When he is on guard and feeling frisky, he jumps up and down, barking with excitement.  He would only have to bump into someone to bring him to the ground – or break a leg.

Despite his huge size and booming voice, he’s a very gentle, family dog and he’s particularly good with babies who love to climb over him as he lies on the carpet.

The only problem is that you can’t push him around.  If you want him to go outside into the garden you have to ask very politely.  “Please, Brutus.  Would you mind going outside?”  Then he’ll get to his feet slowly, look at you with those great, big saucer eyes and deign to move into the garden.

You have to treat a dog like that with respect!

Craft and Create - The Creative Route to Personal Development

Who started the myth that fish can’t feel?

It’s one of the cruellest myths yet invented by man.  And we swallow it hook line and sinker!  It has prevailed for so long simply because we want it to. But it is a myth and it’s quite wrong.

Just because a fish is cold-blooded it doesn’t mean that it can’t feel. Fish are cold- blooded because they have had to adapt to the temperature of the water in which they live.

Of course fish can feel. They have brains and well-developed nervous systems.  They have blood like all other animals.  There are even some fish that scream when you hook them out of the water.  But mostly they suffer in silence and so we assume that they don’t feel!

Not only do fish feel physical pain.  They even have emotions. Whales and dolphins certainly have emotions. You may have seen a news item recently that described how some animal lovers cut free the nets that had trapped a number of whales.

According to the story, as soon as the whales were freed they swam round and round their rescuers all the while looking them straight in the eyes as if to thank them.

It’s such a mistake to insist that fish don’t feel. We only have to stop and think about it to realize that it makes no sense. Sadly it’s a myth that we continue to spread to numb our own feelings and to assuage our guilt.  And as for those people who know better – we can only hope that their ranks will grow.

Craft and Create - The Creative Route to Personal Development

Here is a truly sad love story about two birds – two swallows, in fact – that I defy anyone to watch dry-eyed.

I was sent an email that undoubtedly did the rounds at some time but I hadn’t seen it. At any rate, it has a set of some amazing pictures showing a swallow crying in distress after his mate was hit by a car.

At first the swallow anxiously tries to feed his injured mate. But she dies and he tries to lift her up in vain.  Then realizing that she won’t get up, he just stands over her lifeless body and cries.

I must warn you; this is not for the faint-hearted – it’s a real tear jerker. The series of pictures is quite heart-rending.

Apparently these photos were sold to a famous French newspaper for a small fee. The paper sold out that same day and millions of people wept over them.  If you watch the short series you’ll see exactly why.

There are many true stories like this about animals who show great heart.  So isn’t it astonishing how some people still insist that animals don’t have feelings?

If you have a story about an animal showing real feeling – please add it to the comments below and maybe we can convince a few people that animals do have feelings.

If you’re keen to get these pictures just ask and I’ll send them to you.

Subscribe to RSS headline updates from:
Powered by FeedBurner

Craft and Create - The Creative Route to Personal Development