God summoned a beast from the field, and He said,
"Behold man is created in My image.
Therefore, adore him.
You shall protect him in the wilderness,
shepherd his flocks, watch over his children,
accompany him wherever he may go, even into civilization.
You shall be his companion, his ally, and his slave.
To do these things, I endow you with the instincts uncommon to other beasts:
Faithfulness, Devotion, and Understanding, surpassing those of man himself.
Lest it impair your courage, you shall never foresee your death.
Lest it impair your loyalty, you shall be blind to the faults of man.
Lest it impair your understanding, you are denied the power of words.
Speak to your master only through your mind and your honest eyes.
Walk by his side; sleep in his doorway;
ward off his enemies; carry his burden;
share his affliction; love and comfort him.
And in return for this, man will fulfill your needs and wants,
which shall be only food, shelter and affection.
So be a friend of man.
Guide him through the perils along the way to this land I have promised him.
This shall be your destiny and your immortality."
The dog heard and was content.
Author unknown... copied from the website I linked to above... one of my favorites.
Artist-Rush
Words by Neil Peart
In a dog's life
A year is really more like seven
And all too soon a canine
Will be chasing cars in doggie heaven
It seems to me
As we make our own few circles 'round the sun
We get it backwards
And our seven years go by like one
Dog years --- It's the season of the itch
Dog years --- With every scratch it reappears
In the dog days
People look to Sirius
Dogs cry for the moon
But these connections are mysterious
It seems to me
While it's true that every dog will have his day
When all the bones are buried
There is barely time to go outside and play
Dog years --- It's the season of the itch
Dog years --- With every scratch it reappears
Dog years --- For every sad son of a bitch
Dog years --- With his tail between his ears
I'd rather be a tortoise from Galapagos
Or a span of geological time
Than be living in these dog years
In a dog's brain
A constant buzz of low-level static
One sniff at the hydrant
And the answer is automatic
It seems to me,br> As well make our own few circles 'round the block
We've lost our senses
For the higher-level static of talk