Blue Dog Democrat

Dear Dog Lady,

Since the presidential election, I’ve been a pessimistic mess. I despair for the world. I want to crawl under the bed and stay there until we blow up, or George Bush leaves office, whatever comes first. My friends and relatives think I’ve taken it all very emotionally. They offer the bromide that life goes on because the alternative is just too horrible. They’re Democrats too, but they have children and spouses to keep them focused. I’m gay and without a partner at the moment, which certainly adds to my feelings of doom in this new era of “moral values.”

You must wonder why I am writing you. Seems the one hopeful impulse I have at the moment is to adopt a dog. Do you think a dog might be the cure for what ails me? Do you have any advice about what kind of dog?

Bluer Than Blue In A Blue State

Blue, sure, paint the town red. Get a dog. A dog will certainly force you out from under the bed – unless your pet is a yellow dog Democrat. However, don’t act too quickly. Make sure you are adopting a dog for all the right reasons, instead of grabbing for the first warm-fuzzy that comes along in your despondent state. Dogs are flesh and blood. They are not panaceas.

Nonetheless, a dog is a great gift of life and hope. Dogs teach us lessons about taking one day at a time, putting the past behind, enjoying the moment. Dog Lady believes there are few humans who are not touched and healed by daily contact with a dog. Medical studies prove pet keepers live longer and happier than those who do not have animals. Also, a dog introduces you to a whole new social set. Who knows? Your dog might lead you to the human of your dreams.

Dog Lady endorses adopting a shelter dog because they are the political lost souls of the animal world. Take time and do your homework. Go to your local shelter and sniff around. Visit the dogs available for adoption. You might strike up a great relationship. Be sure to ask the shelter workers any questions about the temperament of the dog you choose. If and when you bring a dog home, prepare for a lot of work. The happy labors could take your mind off things beyond your control. Tend your dog responsibly and no one can ever accuse you of lacking values – moral or otherwise.

On the day after President Bush claimed victory, there was a footnote about how his daughters were giving Laura Bush a puppy, a Scottish terrier named Miss Beazley (see video of Miss Beazley's arrival linked on "Favorite Sites"). The new dog now jostles for attention with Barney, the Bushes’ senior Scottie. When Dog Lady heard the chirpy news item on the radio, she smiled ruefully. Our dogs never know nor care if they’re in the White House, a Red State, or a Blue. Another reason to love a dog.

Posted by Dog Lady at January 25, 2005 06:04 PM