.....Dharma has made our lives whole......

Chelsah and Dharma June 2005

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.”  This statement was made by Roger Caras, who prior to his death hosted the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

I came across these words a few weeks ago.  They made me think back to 1999, when I came across one of my best friends.  Her name is Dharma and she is a Boxer.  I love dogs and have had others through the course of my life, but Dharma is special for several reasons.

When Dharma came into my life, it was February and cold outside.  She had been abandoned by some cruel person, near the intersection of Landis Road and Cemetery Road, in Neosho.  Dharma was placed in the Neosho Animal Shelter, which is where we met.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, I thought she would make a great gift to my wife, Denita.  I adopted Dharma and brought her home to the joy of my kids and wife.  We all fell head over heels for her.  She has a wonderful personality and has become a solid part of our family activities.

There have been so many great times with Dharma.  When my son, Kevin, was nine or ten years old; we were at Piney Point – which is on Elk River – in Pineville.  Kevin was searching the banks of the Creek for tadpoles – he liked to catch them, lightly and I mean lightly cook them, then eat them tail and all, but I digress here as that in itself is a story for another week!

As Kevin searched the Creek, a drunken man began to approach him.  The rest of our family was several hundred yards away, but not Dharma.  You see Dharma watched over all of us like a hawk.  She is smart and can really tell good from bad.  As this inebriated fool began to raise his voice at Kevin, Dharma was off like a flash!  I saw her run and I will tell you no NASCAR vehicle could have zoomed to his side quicker!  Dharma positioned herself between the villain and Kevin and began to bark and growl, like a vicious beast!  The man sobered up in record time and altered his course, before he was attacked!

We were so proud of Dharma and her efforts to keep Kevin safe.  The following Spring, Neosho was struck by a fierce wind storm and small Tornado , on Easter morning.  Dharma was in her dog house, which was tossed several feet from its normal resting place.  Now, this is no normal dog house, Dharma deserves the best, so her house weighs several hundred pounds and has two rooms.  The winds had to be over 80 miles an hour to shift her home like they did.  Our home was slightly damaged, too. 

As we emerged from our Tornado shelter, we looked out back to find Dharma sitting in the yard staring at our house.  She was looking for us.  As we came out the back door, she glared in our direction.  She was mad.  I think she was asking herself how we could have left her to fend for herself in such a gusting wind!  We were asking ourselves this same question.  But, Dharma was fine.

Any time I drive my truck somewhere, Dharma loves to come along.  She likes to ride in the back of the truck bed and hang her head over the side.  Boxers have such big jowls and hers bang around in the wind like a huge sail on a sailboat.  You can almost see the smile on her face as she searches the horizon for a place she has never been.

Dharma is the most loyal dog I have ever had.  We can leave her off her lease and besides some neighbors she likes, she will not think of wandering from our home.  She stays right in her place – eager for us to come out by her side.  As we walk anywhere, Dharma will be right there.  She follows us and looks to play at every turn.

We love her like a part of the family.  Indeed, Dogs are mans best friend and Dharma is no exception.

Sadly though, as with all things in life, there are chapters and our experiences with Dharma are quickly drawing to a close.  She was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, about three weeks ago.  Now, she can’t run and play with her best friend Annie, who lives across the street.  Annie is a mixed breed dog who has become Dharma’s best pal.  It breaks my heart to watch Annie as she runs in circles around Dharma – as if to say, “come on buddy let’s go play tag!”

We face some very tough decisions and times ahead.  We have great memories,  We have been blessed to have her in our lives.  She has taught us so much about ourselves.  So many times I have had a bad day or been bummed and I would sit down for a long discussion with Dharma.  While she has yet to speak back to me, I know she understood.  Like now, she still can’t speak, but I understand what she is trying to say.

She wants our family to know she loves us and she is thankful to us for saving her from the dog pound.  She appreciated all the treats we have fed her and she is glad to call us her family.  Maybe, I was wrong as I started this story; maybe Dharma has been our whole life.  There is no question she has made our lives whole.