First Dog, Bo

I'm really glad that the president's promise to his daughters, to get them a dog, has brought to the forefront so many issues surrounding acquiring a pet. What is the best way to find a pet for your family? What is the best pet for your family? At the very least, all the hype over the First Dog has gotten people thinking about how these decisions are made--and that is a good thing. (Click here for a link to the video on the First Dog.)

Pets should not be an impulse purchase, but often they are. Shelters are full of impulse purchases. The problem is not with the animals, but with the lack of knowledge on the part of the "purchaser."

So, what sort of questions should families ask themselves before aquiring a pet? You can download a PDF of questions and important points to consider before acquiring a pet. Go to www.dreamtimepublishing.com and click on the button for Free Downloads (lower left column).

Now, back to the First Dog. The Christian Science Monitor has a good column up today asking "What about the President's promise to adopt the first dog?" Read the article and see what you think. Did Obama go back on his word, or did he find an acceptable medium (i.e. adopting a dog that had been returned by it's purchaser. It needed a new home, and Obama provided it)?

In addition to writing about animals (in this blog and in the book Open Your Heart with Pets), I am also a publisher. I publish a book on African Grey Parrots that has a chapter on breeding. This book is one of our big sellers; anyone with an African Grey parrot needs to read this book because they are very intelligent, complex pets and there are not a lot of books out there with the level of detail contained in Bobbi Brinker's book. As the same time, as a person who has fostered rescued parrots (one of them in his 30s, and two in their 20s), I feel uncomfortable with the idea of bringing still more parrots into the marketplace.

I'm not a person with strong, polarizing views on things...I tend to be a middle-of-the-roader and look with respect and a bit of awe at those who are so sure their views are correct. But I recognize that since my parents bought me my first dog (a Dachshund named Joey) at age 6 or so, my understanding of animals/pets has evolved over these many decades. Even what I considered acceptable 10 years ago has changed. I can only believe that in 10 more years, my views will have evolved more. What will those views be? Everything I learn about animals leads me to believe that still waters run deep, and we humans haven't treated them as we should. Of course, I also feel this way about the elderly, disabled, children, and the disenfranchised, hungry, poor people throughout the world. But, let's stay on topic...

Sometimes there is so much that needs to be done, it's easier to close our minds to everything, rather than realizing we can specialize as individuals in what we care about. But funny how environmentalism, fair trade, organic gardening, animal rights all seem to overlap. Thank god for books and universities and museums and magazines and newspapers and the Internet where we can learn about diverse viewpoints and new ideas about animals and the world.

Well, off my soapbox for now. Congratulations First Dog Bo, for finding your forever family. May the Obama daughters enjoy many years loving you and whispering their thoughts into your soft coat. If only dogs could talk!