ARTHUR AND ARNOLD
A Personal Portrait of a Viking and His Dog
This article is a departure from the standard Arthur's Hall fare. I am in a reflective mood and hopefully it will inspire a few of you.
My life changed in January of 2007 when my ex-girlfriend brought Arnold to my office. I walked outside and there he was, no more than 10 lbs, all ears and feet. He was the cutest little puppy and when I approached him, he sat down staring into my eyes intently. I had never owned a dog before and certainly had never raised a puppy so this experience was new to me. I had no clue that I was meeting my best friend for the first time. I picked him up and he did not protest...probably because he had just had his balls cut off...but who's keeping score? I remember being surprised at how tiny he was. Keep in mind, we adopted him so we did not know what breed he was so I had no clue how big he would be or even what he would look like as he matured. We took him to the park and I can remember two things...he sat without being prompted and looked right at me and that he could lay on my chest and did on the way home.
A lot has changed since that day. I bought a house and Arnold and I moved. Arnold has grown from a fragile little puppy into a physical specimen. I lost one job, got another, got laid off and now I begin a new one this week. Our nation elected a dimwit socialist. The girl who brought Arnold into my life is no longer my girlfriend. But as I sit here in the middle of the night, Arnold is here. He is sleeping now but I know that if I went over to his crate and let him out he would be sitting next to me either staring at me or pawing at me with a ball in his mouth ready for duty. My point is that he is always there. Your dog will always be there. A man's dog is always ready to work. That work could be herding cattle, towing a sled or something as simple as bringing his ball to your feet and anxiously awaiting for you to pick it up and throw it across the room. There is no flakiness. There is no uncertainty. I know that regardless of what happens tomorrow Arnold will be ready to do whatever I ask of him. It is truly amazing.
I heard the cliche "Dogs are man's best friend" a million trillion fucking times (yes...a Reservoir Dogs reference) but never understood what it meant. I was not raised around dogs, my family always had cats and I assumed that dogs were like cats. I was so wrong. I am sure that there are a number of you out there who will say "My cat is like a dog" or "Cats are smarter or better" but that just is not true. Cats don't give a damn about what is going on in your life. They care about where their food is. They are oblivious. In many ways, cats are like people. They will be there when times are good and the food (money) is plentiful but will leave in an instant if they find a better place to be. That is just their nature. I know that if I were starving, destitute and on the street...Arnold would be right there with me wanting to please me and he would. I have no doubt that Arnold would take a bullet for me. I honestly can't say that for anyone I have ever met. That is why Arnold is the best friend I could ever have.
I cannot imagine my life without Arnold. Provided I don't die suddenly of a massive heart attack or in some fiery car accident...I will outlive him. That is a sad thought. So in reality, he won't always be there and that's ok. My life has been indelibly marked by his devotion and friendship. Why am I spending the time to do this rather than blast 0bama (yeah, that is a zero) or talk about bodybuilding or something more "manly"? Because, having a dog is the ultimate in manliness. If you are a single man you owe it to yourself to get a dog. There are some of you out there who are probably too irresponsible to care for a dog and if that's you...don't think about getting a dog. They need a master who will care for them and provide them with the attention they deserve. When I see a dog that is being neglected I honestly want to shoot the owner in the face. People like that don't deserve to live. If you can't love something that loves with you with no preconditions or expectations, how can you love anything? So for those of you who are responsible, go get yourself a dog.
If you have a family and don't have a dog I believe you are doing your children a disservice by not having a dog. They can learn to care for something and have the responsibility of feeding or walking the dog. It is nothing but positive. It will open their eyes to the type of friendship that is only possible with a dog. Bottom line, it will make their life better. As a parent, that is your job. You will also be gaining a loyal member of the family who will never ask for the car keys or for a new piece of jewelery. Your dog may eat your car keys but that is part of the fun.
A lot of dog owners get hung up on the breed of their dog. I understand being proud of the "kind" of dog you have but does it really matter? I don't think so. Every breed has its advantages and disadvantages. Arnold is a mutt. He happens to be a Boxer/Lab mix which just happened to create a balanced and outstandingly athletic dog. When I hear people bragging about the pedigree of their dog I can't help but think that these are the same people who own things to prove something or show their superiority in some way. I have zero issue with someone wanting a purebred dog but I am here to tell you that ultimately it doesn't matter. Don't let your admiration for a breed get in the way of owning a dog. If you don't have $500 to plunk down for a purebred, go to the pound and adopt a dog. It costs like $50 and you will be sparing a dog who has the capacity to be the best thing in your life from the gas chamber.
I wish Arnold could read. In some ways, I am writing this article as if were reading it. No...I am not a dude who has lost his mind, I am just a guy who has been inspired by a dog. Arnold is my best friend. I can't thank my ex-girlfriend enough for bringing him into my life. If you are thinking about getting a dog I hope this article inspires you to stop thinking and do it. I hope that I was able to adequately explain how much Arnold has brought to my life. He inspires me everyday. I struggle, at times, with the complex and fickle nature of human relationships. I am not ashamed to admit that. There is not a day that I struggle with my relationship with Arnold. He is always there. He always will be and that is why he is the best friend I will ever have. Thanks Arnold... I love you. |
