Dekker Pawnders Death
Woof woof…
Welcome to “Dekker’s page”, a monthly assortment of human questions Dekker answers with the wisdom of a Black Lab of British descent. (When he isn’t sleeping!)
Dekker is a service dog whose literary gifts came to light during the pandemic. He is glad to answer questions left in the chat and wants readers to know that each question brings him a piece of kibble.
One thing that is very important to Dekker is having a human listen to him and trust that what he has to say is valuable.
What? You have never heard your animal friends speak to you?
To hear your dog, cat, or ferret is quite simple, really. It begins with believing that animals have a lot of wisdom and that they want to share it with you.
It takes a different kind of listening and a willingness to ‘transcribe’ what you hear. Give it a try. Your furry friend may surprise you.
Dear Dekker,
I enjoy it when you come to church, but I wonder
why you don’t get into trouble for sleeping through
the entire service. I know my wife would kick me
if I did that. You don’t even twitch when everyone
stands up to sing. Do you have any advice for me
when my eyelids get heavy during the sermon?
Sleepy Sam
Woof Woof, Sam,
I am not sure what advice to give you because, as a dog, I am not in church for the same reason you are. I am here to serve my human. I love her and want to keep her safe. I may look asleep, but if she needs me, I am all ears.
She is my total focus…until the organ plays really loud at the end, and I get excited because I am allowed to “say hello” to everyone as they get ready to leave.
I guess knowing your purpose is the important thing. Why are you there? If you can answer that you will probably know what it takes to stay awake.
Dear Dekker,
I noticed you are growing white whiskers on your chin.
They really stand out against your black face.
Do you worry about getting old?
My beard used to be deep red
but now it is totally white,
even though the hair on
my head is still red.
Thank you, Dapper Dan
Woof Woof, Dan, How do you know your whiskers are white? Do your eyeballs roll down that far?
Since you asked this question I have been trying to see my chin but the best I can do is run my tongue across it.
White whiskers don’t taste any different so I really don’t know any way see what you are talking about.
You ask about ‘feeling’ old. Is that like feeling hungry or itchy? I really can’t worry about something I can’t see and don’t feel.
I think it would be helpful for you to stop looking at your chin and keep your eyes (and nose) out for how you can help someone.
That’s what I do every day, and it it keeps me too busy to worry about the hairs on my chin.
Dear Dekker, We have a lot of animals on our place.
Besides 2 dogs and 4 cats we have a couple of horses,
a pig, a hundred chickens and a goat that thinks
he is king of the farm. Eventually each of these
animals will get very old or sick, or both.
That’s when we have to decide when it is time
to end their suffering with an injection.
It works very quickly but every time I feel guilty.
It’s against the law to do that for humans
so I figure it must be wrong but I don’t
know what is wrong with it.
Can you help me understand?
Thank you, Farmer Anne
Woof Woof, Anne, From where I sit, which is mostly at my person’s feet, I try to understand the things humans do. So little of what they choose to do makes any sense to me.
For instance, my person sits with something called a book in her hands. Sometimes for hours. No matter what I do she seldom responds…at least right away. I have wondered if she was still alive.
Other times, she puts on headphones, and she might as well be dead. She doesn’t hear the doorbell and forgets when it is time for kibble, but she seems extremely happy. If death is like that, I can’t imagine fearing it.
But as a dog, my imagination is not well developed. Not like my nose.
I do understand her hands though. She uses them to signal for me to come, to find something she needs, or to stay put.
Her hands are kind and gentle. They have never hurt me and I trust them. Woof!
If she thinks I need to be brushed she uses her hands. When she is happy she runs her hands up my back and tickles my chin…the one with the white hairs.
The thing about these hands is they say only one thing to me. “I love you”.
I try to tell her the same thing with my tail. I hope she gets that message.
If she gives me an injection that ends my life it will be love in those hands. The biggest love ever.
I have no wisdom about why humans can’t do this for each other. Perhaps they haven’t used their hands to show love enough before that day comes, and that is why they feel guilty.
My advice to you is to use your hands to love every creature in your world, including other humans, every day. Perhaps some day humans will make compassion legal.
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