Lesson: Study Before Barking

I’m a little confused today.  My human says that rules are necessary for order and that we must respect authority.  She also says that there are times when you must rise up against authority because the people in those positions are abusing their power.  My question is:  When?  When do we stand up against it and when do we respect it?

Shasta says that it comes down to one simple thing.  If the people in power are using that power to further their own interests, or those of friends and family, instead of for the good of the community, that is when we are supposed to stand up and fight against them.  OK, that makes sense. 

My human says that even when we take a stand, we must do it in the proper way.  She says that we can’t just accuse those people of doing bad things, but that we must KNOW they are and be able to prove it.  She says that we should tell everyone we can and show them the evidence when asked for it.  She says that we look foolish if we just start saying things and can’t back up what we are saying.

My human also says that it ain’t just those politics people that abuse their power but those news type people too.  She says that’s why smart people don’t listen to them anymore and do their own research.  I’m not sure what research is, but I do know that my human spends a lot of time reading things from lots of different places even though it’s all about the same thing.  She says I shouldn’t take what somebody says as gospel just because they are on TV or in government, but that I should read about it myself and then make up my own mind.

So let me get this straight.  It ain’t enough to just bark about it, I have to prove what I’m saying or I look like a goof ball with no clue.  I know I’m just a puppy and like to chew up my human’s shoes (even though I know I shouldn’t), but that seems right to me.  What do y’all think?

A Price To Pay

This is what happens when a puppy chews up shoes.  He ends up in what my Aunt Penni referred to as “doggie prison”.  My human has explained that I was put in here for being naughty and would continue to be put in here until I have learned my lesson about tearing up things that don’t belong to me.  This is not a fun thing to be in and I really don't like it.  Shasta says that is the point of being put in here.  If I don't like it, then I will learn to behave.

This is where a human is supposed to go when he/she does something bad to someone else.  It doesn’t look any more fun than me being in the new crate that my human got for me, does it?  My human says there are a lot of people in that place called Washington, D.C. that belong in this place.

My human says that this is what happens to people when they don’t stand up for what is right and put a stop to what bad people are doing.  Shasta didn’t stop me from eating my human’s shoes or getting into the plants and now she’s lost her freedom, too.  Shasta looks really sad.  I didn't mean to get her in trouble.  She says that she knew better though and is willing to accept her punishment without complaining about it.  I feel really bad!

I have learned a big lesson this week.  I have learned that there is a price to pay for bad behavior and that I will continue paying that price until I learn not to behave badly.  I learned that it is no fun to not be free to roam around like I want to.  And I have learned that if I stand by and let someone else do something bad, then I am just as guilty and could lose my freedom just like they do.

I think I’m just gonna try to be good from now on.  And maybe, just maybe, if I’m really good…my human will take me out to play and I can enjoy the sunshine and open spaces.  

The Hardest Lesson To Learn

My human brought me to her house last October and right away she began to teach me things she thought I should know.  Yesterday’s lesson will undoubtedly be my most difficult one yet.  To be still and listen.  Shasta is a pro at it, but I’m just a puppy and I want to play instead of being still.

Candi says that there are rewards to being quiet and listening.  She says that I won’t just get doggie treats, but that I could get more people to pet me and play with me.  She also says that those politics people should be learning this lesson with me.  (giggle)

First, she gave me this quote.  “You learn when you listen.  You earn when you listen – not just money, but respect.” ~ Harvey McKay.  Candi says that people respect you more and are more willing to listen to you when you first listen to them.  Instead of money, I get doggie treats and Shasta says that it’s ok for me to focus on that first.  The other will come later.

“Big egos have little ears.” ~ Robert Schuller was her next quote she gave me.  She says that people don’t want to hear what others have to say because they want to be the ones to be heard.  It’s all about ME ME ME to them.  She says that because I’m just a puppy that I am like that but hopes I will grow out of it.  One of the biggest reasons she says she wants me to listen is so that I can help others when I’m needed but I won’t be able to do that if I don’t learn to listen first.

I want to run around and play right now.  I don’t want to listen or focus on other people.  I don’t want to do my civics homework or listen to those news people talk about the politics people.  I just want to play.  I think it’s going to be hard to learn this lesson.  Can you guys give me some help or ideas on how I can learn it faster?