A Dog’s Purpose According To A 6 Year Old

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, “I know why.”

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation. He said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life – like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?”

The six-year-old continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”

http://weruletheinternet.com/2011/05/24/a-dogs-purpose-according-to-a-6-year-old/

Snopes says it's fiction, frankly I don't care if it's true or not. I like the perspective and sometimes kids say things that have deep meaning without knowing they are wise beyond their years.

A dog's purpose according to Ethan...

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Dogs are not our whole lives but they make our lives whole.

otisptoadwater wrote: Dogs are not our whole lives but they make our lives whole.

There might be a few who would say that their dog is their whole life. I have photographed many people who brought their pets, i.e. family members, with them and wouldn't even think about being photographed without them. Especially for some of the elderly, their dog was all the family they had.

This is one of my favorites. I love how her hair is a little messed up from all the fussing around she did trying to get her Labradoodle to cooperate with my camera! In some ways, I think they kind of look alike! So so sweet!