Going to the Dogs

Dogs...what more is there to be said?

Hi, all, Lily the Corgi here.  This past week has been wonderful--lazy, laid-back, uneventful, calming, serene; use whatever descriptor you'd like, it's been peaceful and nice here in Lilyland. However, when there's nothing going on, I don't have any interesting tidbits to describe about my life, so we must dive into the collected knowledge of the ages and talk about Interesting Dog Facts!  The facts below come from several sources:  WebMD, I Love Dogs website, OSU vet school website, and the book Dogs in Antiquity; the comments in RED are my own thoughts and should prove infinitely more interesting than the facts themselves.

1.  We've all heard about the ancient Egyptians and their worship of cats.  But did you know that they also revered their dogs?  They were so into their dogs, that when a beloved dog died, these Egyptians would shave off their eyebrows, smear mud in their hair and go around wailing out loud for days.  (Because nothing says, wow, I miss my dog more than a guy running around the neighborhood with muddy hair, no eyebrows, wailing uncontrollably. Really, a better tribute to a corgi might be to show a little DIGNITY, people!)

2.  And speaking of worship...Pekingese dogs were worshipped in China for many years.  These dogs were considered so important they were often given their own servants.  (There you go, Egyptians; that's the way to show your appreciation for your doggies!)

3.  The ancient Mbaya Indians of the Gran Chaco in South America believed that humans originally lived underground until dogs dug them up.  (See there, mama, you should be a bit more grateful about my efforts to dig up the back yard!)

4.  Here's a juicy tidbit for my cousin Quincy the ancient wiener dog:  A dachshund was discovered, swallowed whole, in the belly of a huge catfish in Germany in 2003.  

Quincy, I suggest you stay on that little chair and keep away from the creek!

5.  Considering using your dog as your wingman?  Studies suggest that the best dog for attracting dates is the Golden Retriever while the worst is the Pit Bull.   (Corgis should be used if you wish to attract a member of the British royal family.)

6.  Dog ownership in Iran is considered to be an "unclean" practice that shows an infiltration of unwanted Western excess.  In the past few years, more and more restrictive legislation has been proposed, and often accepted, in this country.  Today, ownership of a dog is considered a sign of rebellion against the state.  (Talk about a place where dogs are underappreciated!)

7.  Petting a dog has proven to help lower the blood pressure of the human doing the petting.  (Perhaps we should tell that to the Iranians.)

Well, that's enough dog trivia for today.   I have some really good news to share.  It seems our former foster, Linus, has been adopted into his new home up in Illinois...and his adoption date is actually the same as mine!  He now has his own mama and daddy and an older fursister.  I'm very happy for Linus; all doggies deserve to have their own homes where they can be spoiled and loved and cared for.  

In closing, Mama and Aunt Vicky are running off later this week for a few days and we're being left here with daddy.  That shouldn't be too much of a problem; I have our foster dog, Clark, so well trained that he's really no trouble.  Anyway, next week's blog will be a bit late since mama won't be here to do my typing.   So, til next time...

Love ya,

Lily the Corgi

Here's daddy, controlling his blood pressure by petting me and our former foster dog Linus, who now has his own home!