A Bond Beyond Words: The Joy and Heartbreak of Loving a Dog

love always carries the risk of loss.

Mingo: Loved Forever

For anyone who doubts the power of the written word, this poem speaks
directly to the heart of anyone who has had and lost a pet.

The Power of the Dog by R. Kipling

There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.

Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie—
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart for a dog to tear.

When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet's unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find—it's your own affair—
But… you've given your heart to a dog to tear.

When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!).
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone—wherever it goes—for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.

We've sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we've kept 'em, the more do we grieve:

For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-time loan is as bad as a long—
So why in—Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?

Nikki, endless affection. A little dog with a big heart

"The Power of the Dog" is poignant and powerful in its outlines of the bittersweet bond between man and his dogs, evoking a profound sense of joy and the inevitable heartache of loving them. Kipling's words are full of wisdom regarding attachment and loss and resonate with the reader's own experiences of love and grief.

In the poem, Kipling asks a relevant question: Why do we give our hearts to a dog when we know the grief of losing a loved one? There is no easy answer. My wife and I owned dogs for the fifty years of our marriage. Our children loved the dogs and are pet owners themselves. Today, I own a cute toy poodle mix named Nikki. I adopted her from a rescue facility five years ago. One of the most beautiful characteristics of dogs is loyalty and love. One of our most loving dogs is in the picture above. When Mingo became sick due to her cancer, people from our entire neighborhood stopped by our house to say one last goodbye. When she died, I sobbed uncontrollably.

The poem beautifully portrays the close bond between humans and dogs, between Mingo and the family. It is a bond that is a testament to the joy and unwavering loyalty dogs bring into our lives. Kipling begins by acknowledging the inherent sorrow in human relationships, yet despite this, people still choose to welcome dogs into their lives. The poem also suggests that dogs offer a pure and steadfast type of love, regardless of how they are treated, whether with a gentle pat on the head or a rougher gesture. This resilience of the human-dog bond is inspiring.

Kipling also describes the harsh reality of a dog's short life span. He alludes to the tough decision many owners are forced to make when their dog grows old or falls ill, which often involves ending their suffering. It is the anguished pain one has to witness in the dying motions of once lively, loyal companionship.

Kipling ponders that love is borrowed, not bestowed. He wonders why we open their hearts to a relationship that leads to inevitable and deeply felt pain. We do this because, without love, life would be empty.

The poem makes readers aware that, though sad indeed, many find their association and love for a dog worth running the risk.

Just the same as the religious belief that the soul goes to heaven when we die, we say of the dogs we have lost that they go to “the rainbow bridge.”