Ruff and ready to love

By Ivan Morgan

The federal election dust is settling and there is the usual mixture of elated, disgusted and indifferent citizenry. Politics have rarely been this divisive, which is not healthy for us as people, or for the nation. We should be looking for the things that we share, not the things that divide us. Like dogs.
Dogs are very important to me. Sure, politics is important. It’s been a central theme of my life. It’s important to us all collectively. But as people – as individuals – there are many more important things. Like dogs.
I know lots of people who prefer cats, or don’t care for dogs, or prefer some other animal. Which is fine. I understand their love of their creatures through my love of dogs.
I have had dogs my entire life. At least one, sometimes more. Some years ago, my wife and I had eight (For those of you not sure, that is waaaaay too many). When you’re involved in animal rescue, bringing home too many is an occupational hazard, so to speak. We now have a sensible number – two.
I understand dogs. I have always been around dogs. When I was small there were 25 Newfoundland dogs on our farm. I spent my early summers covered in dog slobber.
My parents bred papered, champion Labrador Retrievers, all of whom I loved. I was 17 before I realized the whole dog breeding racket had little to do with dogs. It’s about people. My father would assess a dog and declare it “all wrong.” To me it appeared to be a terrific dog, just not what he was looking for. So began my lifelong love of mutts. (No offence to dog breeders, I understand what they do. It’s just not what I am looking for in my dogs).
The very term mutt implies common, not special, somehow lacking. That’s not a dog thing, that’s a people thing. Some of the best dogs I ever knew were a little of this, a little of that – einz 57 – but wonderful dogs.
Breeding dogs is a little like pursuing politics. You are trying to achieve something through a common effort. You are trying to maintain standards you believe important. The trouble comes when you confuse working towards a common goal with thinking your goals are superior to others. I have met breeders who believe their dogs superior to all other dogs. There’s a slippery slope if I ever saw one.
I have seen this in politics. To some, if you are not totally in line with their politics, then there is something wrong with you. You are suspect and bad.
That’s why, politically, I am a mutt. That’s why I have always had an affinity for mutts. I judge the dog on his or her merits, not on their breed.
In politics there are policies I like, and policies I don’t. I look for what makes sense to me. I look for dogs the same way – dogs that make sense to me.
I volunteer at a pet food bank, and I see many lovely people who for one reason or another are having difficulty making ends meet. Many are seniors, isolated, unhealthy and alone. Their pet is often all they have in the world. It matters not what breed the dog is – they are companions, and they give and receive much needed companionship – and love. They are all purebreds to me.
A dog doesn’t care what your politics are. A dog has no opinion of taxes, or immigration or any of those weighty subjects. A dog doesn’t care if you are a billionaire or a homeless person. What most dogs really want is your time and attention – and long walks. All things that should be important to you.
Maybe you don’t agree with someone’s politics, but if you both love dogs there is some common ground. We all need to work harder to achieve common ground.
As I said, today’s politics is particularly nasty and divisive. So bad it reminds me of a favourite political quote, which to my mind says a lot about both dogs, and politics.
If you want a friend in politics, buy a dog.
Ivan Morgan can be reached at ivan.morgan@gmail.com