I grew up with a dog. I thank my dad each day for the love he instilled in me for these perfect beings. I was a sick asthmatic child, underweight and thin. Doctors recommended against a pet on health reasons but my dad felt my life would be worth living only if I had a four legged friend. The rest was history. I landed myself in hospital with an asthma attack. Nails and lips turned blue. Child specialist at the time was a good friend of my dads. He came. He yelled. He said get rid of the dog!!!! My German shepherd was 7 months old at the time. My dad thumbed his nose at the good doctor, picked me up, slung me over his shoulder and walked out of hospital. In the cab on the way home he said and I quote “ you will live and the bloody dog will live!! You will learn to stop being allergic. Your body will learn to develop an immunity. You will have to because a life without a dog is no life at all.”
We had dogs all our life. We lived with biters and sick dogs. Big dogs and bigger dogs. But dogs remained a constant. Today when people give up dogs because they have a baby I wonder what kind of life they are offering their child?
A life devoid of unconditional love? But that’s what they expect from their children when they grow old?
A life uncaring of friendship and partnership? But they expect their children to have happy marriages?
A life without discipline and perseverence ? A dog teaches discipline because they expect to be walked and fed at fixed times.But they expect their children to be toppers ?
A life without good health? Dogs are the biggest stress busters and children who grow from an early age with dogs are know to have higher immunity than those without a furball friend.
I sneezed my childhood years away. I coughed a little too. I fell sick same as others and never blamed it on the dog.But oh boy! I wouldn’t change a day of that life!!!
I grew up with dogs and I’m a living organ donor. One of the choice few in this country. I gave a kidney and lived to tell the tale. Happy, healthy and so so alive!!!
Dogs are a child’s best friend. Don’t take that away from your baby!