Today, the day before Mother’s Day, is officially Dog Mom’s Day. For many, especially those that are widowed, our dogs (and other pets) can fill a great void when no human can, providing comfort and companionship when they feel so all alone in the world, sometimes even when they have actual human kids.
My dog Quint provided comfort for me just seven weeks after the loss of my husband, Rich. Now, I’m a proud dog mom to four canines. In my dog-writing circle, this is commonplace. But, I know many nod their heads when they hear I’ve recently acquired a fourth, but they bring so much contentment to our home. I couldn’t imagine life without them.
Several years ago when I was posting frequently on my National Dog Week Blog, I wrote a post in honor of Dog Mom Day. Below is an excerpt:
‘Dog breeders, and dog trainers like to remind us all that dogs are not our children. But most of you who have dogs and cats, probably think of your pets as part of the family. Pets, especially our dogs, are in many ways, perpetual four-year olds, constantly in need of our services in order to survive and in their advanced age, need us even more.
And in many ways, our pets may be easier to love, from what I hear. It happens all the time, wherever I go, people seem to be talking about… their dogs. At bars, restaurants, and teacher’s rooms, woman, and some men, often talk more about the dogs of their families than about their kids! It isn’t that they don’t love their kids, but talk of them sometimes brings up stressful topics about difficulties involving them, something that talking about dogs usually does not. Along with the talk, comes pictures in wallets, and on cell phones. One women I spoke with recently, had more photos of her dog than of her children!
…I extend my Mother’s Day greetings to all my friends and their terrific kids who call me aunt, and my friends whose kids are more of the K-9 or Feline kind!
In 1949, Will Judy, founder of National Dog Week, commented on the stigma his society placed on childless women who mothered their dogs when he wrote in their defense, “…some of the women cannot have children;…some of these women do not have husbands.” He went on to write, “If you can’t have a child, have a dog. If you can, have both of them.”
Remember, when your kids go off to college, or to live some place far off, you can comfort yourself with the dogs they may leave behind, knowing that in some magical way, time seems to stand still for our canines, and that they will love, need, and appreciate you, “fur-ever.”’
For those fortunate to have both human and fur-kids enjoy a double holiday dose this weekend.
This Mother’s Day marks the second occasion without mine. It’s a tough loss especially combined with other losses. Some of my good friends lost their own moms very early on and I understand that is a different, yet profound, type of loss filled with a forest of “what ifs”.
We never have them long enough, but their angelic energy and presence are always present.
Happy Human and Canine Mother’s Day Weekend to all.
