John and the dogs, having story-time by the fire.

Photo by Liz Spieser

I'm glad that people are still writing. I mean as opposed to “texting” or only communicating through methods of expedience. That may sound funny to say, but the effort to choose words carefully and deliver a gift of well-honed thoughts to a reader is what makes writing an art. I heard a story on the radio recently that probed the question of the future of writing as an art form, given all of the new-fangled techonology that makes communicating with words a matter of simple efficiency these days.

A subtle form of magic happens when a mind's eye is opened and transported by a perfect word or phrase, elevating the power of the written word far above mere utility. No different than drawing, painting or sculpting, writing poses similar kinds of challenges to the creator and sensory experiences to the recipient as these other venues. I hope “creative” writing continues to thrive.

OK, you got it. I'm feelin' a little sappy. (Holidays, I guess.)

I often wonder if more has been written about dogs than any other subject. No, really — I wonder that. Probably not, but I bet dogs rank way up there. It is evident that people love to write (and read) about dogs and weave them into their stories. It's pretty amazing, though not that surprising, how saturated into our culture dogs have become.

The inspirational grist that dogs perpetually provide to the mill of the writer's mind is a gift that enriches us all, over and over again. Hey! Not bad eh?

Here are some excerpts from books I have enjoyed reading over the years:

From "I and Dog," by the Monks of New Skete:

“The biggest problem with dogs is that they don't live long enough. They always seem to leave us behind when we are the most vulnerable, most in need of their biased, affirming, presence. Dogs make us believe we can actually be as they see us, and it is often only when they are gone that we realize their role in what we've become.”

“The root meaning of the word OBEDIENCE is to listen. When applied to training our dogs, it involves as much our listening to the dog in order to discern what is needed, as it does the dog listening to our commands. It involves laying aside our burdens for the moment and entering fully into the relationship here and now so that our word to the dog will be simple, clear, and free of emotional or physical static.”

A short excerpt from "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle," by David Wroblewski:

“The whole hypnosis business was unpredictable, he confessed. Which led to a discussion about responsibility. It was like the dogs, Trudy had told him. If you asked them to do something, then you were responsible for what happened next, even if that wasn't what you intended. You were especially responsible to the dogs, she said, because they respected you enough to do what you asked, even if it seemed like nonsense to them. If you wanted them to trust you, you had better take responsibility, every single time.”

From "A Rough-shooting Dog," by Charles Fergus:

“Like a fire, a writer needs a good stoking now and then, and through the winter Jenny and her whistle and dummy were my fuel and irons. Twice, sometimes three times a day — in cold and snow, in sleet, in milky sun and gray thaw — school was in session in the meadow.”

From "Dog Stories," by James Herriot:

“Tip shook the last of the snow from his coat, pranced jerkily up to the farmer and gave a couple of reedy barks. Peter laughed. “You see he's ready to be off — he's a beggar for work is Tip.” Tip led the way toward the buildings and I followed, stumbling over the frozen ruts, like iron under the snow, and bending my head against the knife-like wind. It was a relief to open the byre door and escape into the sweet bovine warmth.”

Anyone can write from their heart. If you're inclined, you may find that your dog is a great source of grist for your own writer's mind! Even writing something down just for youself, perhaps inspired by the investigations or antics of a loved pet, can be rewarding and fun to look back on later.

Why not give it a try?

Please feel free to chime in with your own contributions of literary love (of reasonable length of course) from your own repertoire, or one of your favorite books, as a gift to the annarbor.com community.

Merry Canine Christmas to all!

Caution: Do not “write” while driving!

John Spieser is a professional dog trainer and owner of Dogheart. He can be reached at john@doghearta2.com.