Dane said (June 30, 2007):

i'd say you did good by letting your dog go. nothing is like true freedom. it does not come from a leash, whether on a dog or a human. dogs get enough of the control stuff in town. i had a dog once that never knew what dog food was, a leash or a collar. i hitch-hiked with her,too. she loved it. had you not found your dog is ok too, why? simply because of that irreplacable freedom freedom that is so dear to every creature. long may we all run, freely! so you are truly a good friend to your dog for freedoms sake, not irresponsible at all. does a baby bird stay in the nest forever? does a child stay with mom & dad forever. as more future comes at us in this country we will probably look back on the freedoms we knew. what we used to have. sad to say. do well, dog lover-----

Tina said (June 29, 2007):

I am so very pleased to know that you have found your dog. Pets are part of our family and we get attached to them as if they were our children.

Albeit your wife did not blame you, in truth you are right to write, “I was not his friend; I was his owner. There's a fine line between being responsible and being suffocating”.

When I was about 23 years old I was given a dog – a golden retriever—He was close to 2 months old. As all puppies do, they cry in the middle of the night. I would get up and go in the kitchen to comfort him. Eventually, I would bring my dog in our bedroom. That was the first mistake I made. Than as my dog got older, he exercised his authority over me by first taking over our bed. Each time, I’d go to bed, he’d be on the bed pretending to sleep. I’d try to remove him from the bed, but he would growl at me, so rather than exercising my authority and showing him discipline, I would only push him over.

Suffice to say, that I had absolutely no authority over my dog and I was completely ignorant on how to raise him. My golden retriever, the most docile dogs, became almost like a pit bull. I sent him to discipline school, thinking that I was doing the right thing. Little did I know that I needed help of my own, which I soon obtained, due to a relationship break down. I suffocated my dog by not giving him the discipline that all animals crave for.

To cut the story short, I eventually gave my dog away to a veterinarian, when he was around 2 years old. It was probably the hardest thing for me to do, but I understood that I did not have the capacity at that time to be a good owner for my dog. I needed to grow up first.

God gave man the responsibility to look after woman, children, animals and so on. God also gave woman the responsibility to look after children, animals and so on. When I was 23 years old, I was married. My husband was not exercising his authority with his wife. He would travel most of the year, and I was lucky, so to speak, to see my husband once or twice a week. I was a young bride who felt neglected and alone, so when my dog came along, I treated him more like human being than a dog. I did not know better and as a result my dog soon became delinquent.

The lesson I have learned within the few years of having my dog was first to not ever treat an animal as a human being, no matter how cute a puppy is. Second, no matter how needy one may be, do not forget who the owner is. Thirdly, make sure to let your pet know who the boss is, otherwise he will walk all over you and walk away.

For some of us being responsible to ourselves and to God is at times a difficult task. We may be responsible in areas that others are not, but we may lack in other areas that need to be healed.

At the end, it is all about growing up and becoming adults, something that our generation struggle with more than the previous generation.

My dog also changed me forever. He thought me valuable lessons that I carry with me till this day.

Leonard (on "Knocked Up Article") said (June 27, 2007):

Congrats on your article on "Knocked Up", which is what I think is your best article yet. As you know, Hollywood is a political / cultural tool. One of the reasons why Hollywood produces the content it does is because the world's leaders are more twisted than even Hollywood can portray. I was "trolling" the internet and came up with some real gems to support the above point. Here are some links. Perhaps you can send them to Rense, with or without a follow up article.

Leonard

Clip 1 of 5: Here's Bush senior being fascinated with the "novelty" of a common grocery store scanner. He LOVES this prelude to the "mark of the beast" technology!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0fIhnboptk

Clip 2 of 5: Allthough the video resolution is very low, what you are hearing is the absolute truth. Clinton is asked about concentration camps. Listen to his response!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ05vt7iURE

Clip 3 of 5: Here's Bush senior slapping Terri Hatcher's butt like a piece of meat. I'm not kidding.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJZoai2HIeA

Clip 4 of 5: Here's Lynne Cheney being confronted on CNN about her lesbian-themed book, "Sisters". Perhaps they should have interviewed her daughter!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQvPsqrBxFI

Clip 5 of 5: I took me 2 years to accept Cathy O'Brien's claims. Bowing to pressure to validate her claims, Cathy shows how she was sexually mutilated... by Dick Cheney. WARNING: This clip is VERY graphic. The truth is always stranger than fiction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVY1_w99XwA

Lauren said (June 27, 2007):

Have you ever seen the TV program The Dog Whisperer? The guy is an amazing dog behaviorist. I started watching the program last fall. At the time our 2- year old Aussie, Suzie was very sweet but not so great in the manners department. We started working with her and training her to behave better. She now is trained to sit at the door before we take her out because we are in charge and she takes her orders from us. She also has to sit before we feed her twice a day so that she will work for her food. What I have seen is that this wild puppy is now looking to us for direction and seems so much happier. We have learned from the show that discipline and exercise come before affection. She has responded so well and we feel like better pet owners. We also are very disciplined to make sure she walks every day, if possible. It drains her energy and is seen as a pack activity. In the evening, we lavish the affection on her in our ritual “dog sandwich” time but make sure she has the discipline and exercise first. If you don’t get the program in Canada, you may want to check out his website under thedogpsychologycenter and his name is Cesar Millan.

----

Thanks Lauren

As a matter of fact, we have been watching Cesar quite a bit. Thanks for the extra push-I am going to discipline my dog! Incidentally he is almost %100 again and needs it!

Henry

Doug, a Vet from Montana said (June 25, 2007):

Thanks for all your columns I've read over the last many years. Please continue to give us the benefit of your wisdom.

I read your words about Raffi's disappearance just hoping there was a happy ending. I prepared myself for the worst from the very beginning
of your pi. I could hear the anguish in your words.

As a veterinarian of over 30 years, I have to say that the hippie adage about freeing love, as it relates to our four-legged companions, is nothing more than an grand invitation to disaster. I
am glad you have Raffi back, and I am glad you are changed forever.

How often I see tears shed upon the broken bodies of dogs, which only a dash of common sense moments earlier could have prevented. I make
my clients understand that the dog will not learn from such an experience. Sometimes I am cruelly blunt. My hope, I tell them, is that they will get the message, as most dogs won't. Clients often get a mild scolding, and hear, "Help this dog's death to serve a purpose. Let it make life easier and safer for future dogs you may own."

Mary said (June 24, 2007):

I'm glad you got him back. I was just thinking yesterday about my own dog, Willow, who follows me from room to room like a two-year-old (which can be annoying) - but, I thought, this really should not be annoying to me. She's honoring me. If I close a door for a moment and then return to the living room where she is sitting, waiting, she greets me as though I have been gone for a month, both of her front feet prancing in utter ecstasy to see me again. Amazing. When I actually have been away, out of the house for a week to do talks, she greets me with her eyes tightly closed as though she cannot even bear the ecstasy of looking at me. It's all just too much. Anyway, I'm glad Raffi is back. Hope he is well soon. Dogs are wonderful.

Mary said (June 24, 2007):

I'm glad you got him back. I was just thinking yesterday about my own dog, Willow, who follows me from room to room like a two-year-old (which can be annoying) - but, I thought, this really should not be annoying to me. She's honoring me. If I close a door for a moment and then return to the living room where she is sitting, waiting, she greets me as though I have been gone for a month, both of her front feet prancing in utter ecstasy to see me again. Amazing. When I actually have been away, out of the house for a week to do talks, she greets me with her eyes tightly closed as though she cannot even bear the ecstasy of looking at me. It's all just too much. Anyway, I'm glad Raffi is back. Hope he is well soon. Dogs are wonderful.

Jim said (June 24, 2007):

I went through some similar things to your experience with Raffi with my dog, Nikki. He quickly let me know he hated being left home alone, so I started letting him ride around in my work vehicle with me. One time I drove off to the next job before I realized I had left him behind and I had to go back for him. Nikki kept a sharp lookout for me after that!
My point is that having a pet should mean actually paying attention to it and trying to understand it. Personally I am much more bothered by people who keep their pets in perpetual solitary confinement. Very sad to see cats and such who spend hours looking out from their cell block at the outside world they are excluded from by their loving owners. I always congratulate people who have pets in pairs that at least they are not kept in total isolation.
Right now the kindest thing I can do with a pet is to not own one because my life is too unsettled.
A really good book is The Hidden Life of Dogs by Elizabeth Thomas. Very informative about doggie culture. Ought to be required reading before getting a dog. She asks the ultimate question, "What is it that a dog wants?" The answer is...Dogs want to interact with other dogs. Makes "dog parks," where dogs can run around and socialize with other dogs within a confined area, sound like a really great thing.

Lynda said (June 24, 2007):

I am glad you got Raffi back. I think you have learned the correct lesson here. You are his alpha and you should not allow him to stray from his pack. If he does, you do have to seriously woof him and show him you mean business about correct pack behaviour. A dog without his pack or human equivalent is a sad and sorry creature, as is a human without a true human society.

Daniel said (June 24, 2007):

I must say Dr. Makow you had me, hook line and sinker. I thought Raffi had
passed, and being the most loyal Albertan to your site, lol ,and knowing of
Raffi, my heart hit the floor. I could tell you similiar stories, well a couple, being a dog owner. I know that feeling you had. As I read your words, I could feel your love for him, and it's so wonderful to have such a special relationship with your dog. Our pup is family, and I would do anything to protect her. I was so delighted you eventually got him back,
and I wish him a quick and speedy recovery. Thank you for sharing your story, I can certainly relate, and for me, can Raffi have some form of treat and a good scatch fr om Daniel @ Sylvan Lake !By the way i've added Raffi Makow to my screen saver, a collection of dogs and other animals I love, hope you don't mind.

-----------------------------------------
--Thanks Daniel,

Not at all. Raffi barfed up a dead mouse which I think is the cause of his illness. He is getting better by the hour! Good to know these feelings are universal!

H

Ron said (June 23, 2007):

Dear Henry, great, loved the human/pet diversion, it's the same as God/human relationship. Does this not tell us about the Godly qualities ingrained in mankind, even the illuminati beasts have and love their pets, yet fail to recognise this inexplicable quality. How evil to brush this beatiful trait off without a thought. My wife and I had this gorgeous Russian Blue cat called Ringo, whom we tried to keep housebound as we'd lost a cat previously to the fast road outside. Sadly after a year, his instinct to be out overwhelmed us and we allowed him out one Sunday, when he was run over by a car. We waited all day for his return, calling his name and walking the streets until eleven at night when we gave up, hoping he would turn up at the door some time later. Well, after midnight we heard a feint wimpering cry and scratching at our door. It was Ringo with a shattered back leg and numerous cuts and skin loss. We fortunately contacted a vet that night who took him in for surgery. After eight weeks of intensive care, he recovered fully, only to get out again and get killed by another car. What does this tell us about the human spirit of love Henry ? That we are born with an inate gift from our heavenly father towards man and beast. How on earth have the wicked elite and their progeny developed seperately to us humans ? They have allowed Satan and his evil to permeate in their selfish souls. Pity them not fellow humans. I'm glad Saffi made it home o.k. Our two new cats, Ringo 2 and Dylan are two year old house cats who will never be allowed outdoors and are happy and safe, God bless his beautiful earth. Ron Lambert in Newcastle, England.