Dogs never bit Marilyn Monroe but humans did

This week's Independent News & Media Irish regional newspapers' column.

Michael Commane

On Saturday evening, January 13 I noticed that my dog Tess, who is probably between 10 and 12-years-old, was a little slower than usual but I didn’t really give it a second thought.

All that changed early on Sunday morning when I went to take her for her walk. She had peed, poohed and vomited during the night and she had no intentions of heading out for a walk. Usually she is waiting to bound out and head for her morning walk.

Okay, she has slowed up over the last year but up to Sunday she was a strong tough dog, who enjoyed her walks, indeed, I got the impression she often forgot about her age when she was chasing a fox or a cat.

When I returned home on Sunday at lunchtime she was lying on her duvet, those sad eyes looking up at me but not a budge from her. Tess was a food opportunist, anywhere she thought she could get food she would pounce. Many is the embarrassment she caused me when she was stealing food from picnickers in parks on summer days. 

But on this Sunday food was the furthest thing from her mind. A work colleague suggested I buy her chicken slices. A solitary sliver of a chicken slice remained close to her mouth all day Sunday. 

A neighbour called on Monday evening, Tess gave her a tail-wag and to my delight ate the chicken slice. But she still lay there lifeless, all the time staring at me.

I checked her a few times during Monday night, she was  just lying there, motionless.

My daily routine was gone, all my attention and worry was focused on Tess.

On Tuesday morning she was still lying on the same spot. I phoned work excusing myself for the morning and took Tess to my vet.

We had a chat and he gently mentioned the idea of doing the best thing for Tess. I knew what he was saying. But there was a glimmer of hope. We agreed he would keep her overnight and do a blood test on her.

She has been to the top of the highest mountains in Ireland, walked along canals and rivers. On one occasion we chanced a ride on the Luas, alas, we were thrown off but we sneaked on to the next one and got away with it.

I phoned the vet on Wednesday morning. He told me that Tess had bounced back.

It turns out she had eaten a load of chocolate, bad news for a dog.

Also, she has arthritis, and it is affecting her movement. It means another few metres off her daily walks.

But Labradors are prone to arthritis and it’s sort of inevitable at her age. I’m beginning to notice twinges of it myself.

Tess and I are the best of friends. Sometimes I feel she knows what I’m thinking.

It is amazing how humans and animals connect. We have a lot to learn from them.

My late father strongly believed that people who are kind to animals will also be kind to humans.

I came upon an interesting line about dogs from American poet Emily Dickinson, who lived the life of a recluse. She wrote: ‘Dogs are better than human beings because they know but do not tell.’ And Marilyn Monroe claimed that dogs never bit her, just humans.

It always strikes me, out walking, how people praise Tess and never have a word or smile for me.

Tess has copped on to me. But that might not be too difficult.

Great to have her home.