What My Dogs Teach Me

Watching my dog, Gracie, a German Shepard-something-or-other, run around the yard is an education in what one should, and shouldn’t do. For instance, Gracie is absolutely joyful. She skips when she runs. She sprints after balls. She teases her brother, Iggy-The-Parsons-Jack-Russell-Terrier. She follows her big sister, Tara-The-Husky-Collie-Mix, and Tara teaches her things, like how far she can run, how to fetch the ball, when to put the Husky-death-grip on Iggy. All very useful things to know, if you’re a dog, or live with a dog. All things one should know how to do: be joyful; work hard; have fun; don’t take life too seriously; learn something new everyday; self-defense, etc.

Gracie, a Bernese Mountain Dog-Lab cross... at least, that's what the shelter told us

Iggy, Parsons Jack Russell Terrier. I dare you to try and take away that ball. Go 'head.

Tara, Husky-Bearded Collie cross... again, according to the shelter.

I have learned other things from watching my dogs, too. The biggest one relates to diet: Just because you can eat it, doesn’t mean you should. It didn’t take a rocket-scientist (please note: I am not a rocket scientist) to figure out that the vomit I found with the bits of plastic in it, came from Gracie, who had been caught chewing on said plastic plant container earlier that day. And so it goes that I had to sit down and really think about all the stuff I’ve been reading lately on diet and exercise. Just because I can eat wheat, gluten, meat, sugar, pesticides, BPA, salt, transfat, banana peels, soy, cabbage... and the list goes on, doesn’t mean I should.

That’s a long list of stuff I can eat, but maybe I shouldn’t. It’s not even a comprehensive list. I didn’t mention anything about processed food. Actually, they are all pretty controversial. Wheat and gluten-free diet books are probably the bane of every wheat farmer and the Canadian Wheat Board. Afterall, there are doctors saying that their product is harming the public (yes, Dr. William Davis, I'm looking at your Wheat Belly, you too, Dr. Loren Cordain). Not good for commodity prices… not good for their market. But don't worry, I won't tell my next door neighbour, The-Commercial-Corn-and-Soy-Farmer that you think he's trying to kill the human race.

That's enough mud-slinging at the paleo folks for tonight. There's more than enough mud to go around! Everyone in the food/diet industry is fair game where I'm concerned. I get pretty cranky when my thyroid meds aren't working right.