My Dog Is Not a Tool

I got my dog, Snowy, in the middle of the pandemic. He is a purebred white German Shepherd, and I normally could not have afforded to buy him. However, Covid-19 took care of that. The breeder found it impossible to sell her Covid litter since she lived in the country and no one was traveling at that time. So I lucked out. I was able to get him for the cost of his food and shots.

He is a great dog. He’s smart, playful, energetic, and good-natured. As a puppy, he was a big, good-natured goof. Now, as an almost adult at almost 21 months, he has mellowed a bit.

One reason many people get German Shepherds is that they are naturally protective of their people and homes.

And Snowy is protective.

When he was barely 15 months, still a puppy (large breed males mature slowly), he held off an intruder.

I’d been going in and out to the garden all morning, so I’d left my front door unlocked. While I was in the back bedroom, I heard a sound I’d never heard from Snowy — a deep growl. I ran to the front of the house and saw something that stunned me.

My goofy, sweet-natured dog was holding an intruder at bay. The man had come up to my house and opened my unlocked door. However, he had not stepped into the house. Instead, he stood stock still, a look of terror on his face. My dog had transformed into something super scary.

I grabbed Snowy’s collar and put him into a sit, which he did with some reluctance. The man ran off. Snowy was rewarded with treats.

So yes, my dog is useful, as German Shepherds are known to be.

But that is not the reason I got him. I got him because I wanted a hiking buddy and friend, something dogs are well suited for. They listen to you no matter how inane your chatter. They are warm and furry, and it’s nice to pet them or hug them. They help you stay in touch with the real world, the natural world, instead of retreating into an electronic cave.

When, thanks to a brain tumor I started to have balance issues while on trails, I could call him to me and use him to balance myself while going over steep or rocky places. Whenever I asked this of him, he would come and hold steady, though he quivered with the desire to keep moving.

Snowy on a hike -photo by Shefali O’Hara

This need for motion is typical of this high energy breed. Along with their intelligence, their stamina makes them popular with the police and military.

I know people who keep dogs simply for the functions they serve. If the dogs are unable for whatever reason to do their jobs, they are discarded. I think that’s cruel, but I can understand why cultures battling for survival in a harsh world might do these things.

I am grateful to live in a time and place where I have the luxury of treating my dog with love. He has his own bed indoors, toys, and treats. He gets doggy play dates and brushing and has his head scratched, which he loves.

Dogs (indeed, all animals) are sentient beings. They have emotions and can feel pain.

What does it mean to be truly compassionate? I don’t think anyone capable of empathy can see an animal suffer and not be moved.

So, no, even though my dog has proven useful to me, he is not a tool. He is a thinking, feeling being. He deserves to be treated as such. They all do.

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This post was previously published on Creatures.

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