Recently, I got a dog. I went to the breeder’s house on a whim, never expecting to really buy a puppy. I must have been bored that day. However, within a few minutes of my arrival at the place where the puppies were, I found myself handed a black fur ball that was shaking. Two mournful eyes met mine, and before I knew it, doggie and I were on our way home.

I became the owner, but did not know this at the time, of a Doodle. Doodles are not Labradors; they are more like human beings than dogs. Boo, as we called her, is affectionate with paws that she uses like hands. She is smart and loves action with a ball; this is almost all of her waking hours. A relationship has developed between Boo and self. She has become a very satisfying part of my day.

Why would I write this article about my dog? Animals do share the planet with us; they, too, are creations of God. Since I have had this dog, there are often moments of communication between the animal and me. Do I dare call it affection? I hesitate to think that Boo loves me, as yes, I love Boo, but that sounds heretical. However, it is true. There is a relationship that grows with pets, a tie, a union, which cannot be denied. What is this deep connection we have with our pets? It is not human, and yet it seems very human. So many today find pets more satisfying than dealing with human beings. Why is this? I have a theory for this; we all seek love, many of us today find dealing with the acceptance and natural affection that an animal gives, easier to deal with, if not superior to human interaction. Pets have become a growth industry currently. Witness the growth of the dog food aisle in almost every grocery store. Witness the dog food ads on tv for upscale dog food or toys, etc. Witness the bill at the Vets for a procedure, which has many folks getting dog insurance to defray costs. Our pets have become a multimillion-dollar industry!

Dogs were one of the first domesticated animals for humans. Cats came later, but both dogs and cats have had what we call, a symbiotic relationship with humans. Dogs were part of the hunter-gatherers of ancient times. Cats were useful to our ancestors in hunting mice that fed on the grains a community needed for survival.

I see God’s plan in creation when I see my dog. All living things work to the good and give glory to the compassion and kindness of our God. Sometimes I think we only see ourselves as part of creation. Look around you! See the variety and the complexity of creation, of which we are the stewards. My dear little dog is part of that wondrous creation, and I thank God for her. Our pets ask for so little and give us so much. Creation flows around us, asking nothing of us but protection and wise use. Animals, whether cats or dogs, bring us affection and wonder, and the grace of companionship. When I see deer bouncing across the road, their slim legs bounding, white tails flying, dashing into the bush, for a moment, a brief moment, we are sharing life. Children seem to understand this more than adults. If you have been with small children as they experience farm animals, or a squirrel, or a rabbit in the yard, there is an immediate connection

and joy. The poet Elizabeth Bishop (1911-1979) wrote a wonderful poem called “The Moose.”

The last lines of the poem capture this joy and excitement as people on a bus see a moose: “Why, why do we feel/ (we all feel ) /this sweet/ sensation of joy?”

I thank God for my dog, for all of creation, I bow before you, Lord, in thanksgiving.

There is the sea, great and broad, In which are swarms without number, all creatures great and small. (Psalm 104:25)