Well before I became a book blogger, I stopped reading books about dogs. I don’t mean the kinds of books where dogs are accessories. I mean the kinds of books where dogs are center because: those dogs die.
Truth. We have a dog in our lives, (s)he will die before us, unless we get ill or have an accident.
I know this is true because I’ve read it, and I’ve lived through it.
And I’ve stopped reading it.
Bloggers especially are famed for mentioning triggers. Abuse, suicide, cutting, you name it, but none mentions: the dog dies.
There will be someone out there who tells me: “there are worse things than the dog dying. There are worse things.” But I will shake my head and say: no, there’s nothing worse than the dog dying. Only self-absorbed humans will think that there’s something worse than the dog dying because the dog dying is everything. And only self-absorbed humans don’t see that because being self-absorbed humans they believe that humans are the end all when humans aren’t even the start all. Humans destruct. They annihilate in arrogance. They tear down forests. They destroy ecosystems. Humans, despite their brain size, are about as stupid as stupid can be because of their ego. Dogs don’t have ego. And that’s why the dog dying is everything. Think about it.
The trigger is: the dog dies.
PLEASE tell me “the dog didn’t die.” 🙁
None of mine did, but my SIL’s did. 🙁 He lived a long good life, but that still doesn’t make it easy.
the death of a dog is beyond heartbreak. We have just been through it a few months back. For me the death of a horse is a disaster and leaves a gaping wound. You are right . There should be a trigger warning.
Our bonding with animals is so different than our bonding with people. Maybe it’s the clarity of it. Sorry that you had to go through this recently. I don’t think it ever gets easier…just harder.
I’d have to agree it’s a pain that’s lasting no matter the years. Probably b/c after they’re a pup, and middle age has passed them you realize what impact they have in such a short span of time. That they love without thought, and even when abused or hurt, often find a way to love again despite horrors. And they just know when you’re hurting, they just know. I would say little children and dogs are the worst because of this innocence and ability to love and trust despite. It doesn’t mean human deaths don’t hurt massively, it just means they’re is no going back once you’ve lived a dog and lost.
I read an article where a reporter was asking why people were getting so upset over a pet’s death. Why were they doing this for adult humans? The psychologist said, pretty much what you said, it’s the innocence. Children and dogs represent innocence, trust, dependence. I figured that that reporter had never had a close connection to a pet. That could only be the way you’d ever ask that question. Beautifully written, Mandi!
Thanks, but I’d say the same about yours and more?
Great read. I wrote an article yesterday on my website titled The Art of Living from a Dog’s Perspective’ – Feel free to check it out! https://authorjoannereed.net/the-art-of-living-from-a-dogs-perspective/