Boyfriends and dogs

As I've been going on dates recently, some of the guys have stopped by my place so I can either change my shoes or pick something up. That means they get to meet Cooper for better or for worse. As Cooper likes everyone who walks in the door, it usually goes well but sometimes Cooper's in a bitchy mood and wants everyone to know it. His allergies have been really bad lately so he's always in a bad mood. I don't blame him.

Anyway, I dated this guy a long time ago names Chris and he was jealous of Cooper mostly because Corey got him for me and he was "our" dog. Cooper didn't really care much for Chris either; usually he ignored him like he ignores me. One time Chris yelled at Cooper to get down from a chair and Cooper didn't want to so Chris grabbed him by his collar and knocked him off the chair. Yeah, I broke up with him soon after; no one mistreats my dog but me.

Cooper met Tye a few days ago and although he woofed at him, he didn't really care. He sat on the bed and cuddled with him and I thought that was kind of cute. There was this show on VH1 where a woman wouldn't date someone if her cat didn't like that and I thought that she was fucking crazy. But then, I thought about it and maybe animals have some 6th sense when it comes to people. I mean, Cooper's is way off since he likes the homeless and the meth heads, but I don't think I can date someone who didn't like Cooper.

Second chances

As we all know, Michael Vick got signed by the Eagles now that he's out of jail. In a lot of ways, I'm so glad that he went to jail for a long time and lost millions of dollars in endorsements because it sets a good example of "who cares if you're a celebrity" and to shed a little more light on dog fighting. Also, most importantly, that if you get caught, you'll be fucked; probably worse than Vick because you won't have the money to hire the high-powered lawyers.

What he did was appalling. It was terrible and unfortunately, it is done everyday by thousands of ignorant tools who do not deserve any sympathy or even the love from an animal. Normally I'm not a pitbull fan, I think they're scary and most of the people I've seen who have them only keep them as pets to make them feel more masculine. Pathetic. However, I don't believe that any dog should have been put through the kind of abuse that those dogs inflicted on each other just for the entertainment of assholes who should be euthanized and neutered so they don't create more ignorant miscreants.

I think it all has to do with the upbringing of a person. It just goes to show that you can take a person out of the trailer park but you can't take the trailer park out of the person. Even with the privilege, money, power, and fame, Vick went back to his old "roots" of a poor kid growing up in ghetto-like conditions. I hate people who bring up their upbringing as an excuse for their behavior; you have all the opportunity to change yourself and get yourself out of the ghetto (which sometimes makes me think why we waste so much time and money on people who can't grasp this concept).

Anyway, I do believe in second chances, however. I don't think Vick is 100% remorseful for his actions; I think he's more upset at having to re-create his image and to prove himself as a football player rather than a respectable member of society. I think, in fair retribution, that half of his earnings should be donated mandatorily to animal welfare groups, the Humane Society, rescue groups, etc. I know he'll have a lot to prove and to gain the respect back, but I highly doubt that he will even consider giving up his millions as a way to gain some kind of retribution. Unfortunately, I think he only has money on his mind and most likely, he only cried himself to sleep in prison because he was in prison; not because of what he had done. He was probably cursing the dogs and getting caught for his horrific actions.

Oh the places he will go...

Sometimes I wonder if Cooper has an imagination, and if he does, what he thinks about. When he was a puppy he would hold a toy in his mouth and trot around the house for about an hour with the most pensive look on his face. True, he might have been debating on where to hide the toy but the manner in which he was walking made me think of a little kid armed with a backpack and the threat of running away to find his own adventures.

Sometimes Cooper stares out the window for hours. Normally, this wouldn't bother me if I actually had a view, but as I stare at the side of the adjacent building, I wonder what Cooper thinks about. I hate how scientists assume that dogs are simple and incapable of having any kind of higher thinking; I like to think that Cooper dreams, daydreams, and imagines great possibilities.

Which got me thinking, what would a dog daydream about? Treats? Another long walk through a park he hasn't been to in awhile? Wistful musings of days that have passed? Yearning for more stimulation? Perhaps he contemplates his existence, loneliness, or maybe he thinks of more optimistic things such as, "My mom will be coming home soon and then she'll give me treats, love, and a walk!"

Since Cooper's rather on the emo side, I think he thinks about random emo subjects. What those are, I don't know, but I'm sure he composes poetry in his head.