Dogs and men have had a colorful and interesting history in the western part of the United States over the last 150 years as written about by authors such as Oakland native, Jack London.
B17 bomber and Bailey, a Hungarian Vizsla, over
The Diablo Valley
Jack London's book, "Call of the Wild" is a wonderful book on the relationships dogs, men and nature had at the turn of the twentieth century in the Wild West.
In one section of the book, Buck (key dog character) had come to live with the tribe of native Indians in the interior of Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. Jack London explains how Buck and his Indian masters related very differently then Buck had with his American and Canadian masters.
In the book, London describes the relationship between dog and Indian as not that of child and parent or dog and master, but of dog and deity.
This relationship, of course, is quite different. Many modern ideas of God's relationship with man is to let man make mistakes and live our lives, but to "look over us and guide us."
The fellowship is more of the dog and his benevolent "god" as a partner in existing with nature.
On the bluffs over the Pacific south of San Francisco
Now at the beginning of the twenty-first century, a modern book was written by author, Ted Keasote, that has a rather similar view of a dog's interaction with man.
The author tells the tell of finding Merle (main dog character) in the desert wilderness of Utah along a river at 10 months old.
He then goes on to tell of a life-long relationship (dog's life) compared to the relationship an Alaskan Indian and his dog over 100 years ago.
Mr. Keasote does not make this comparison in his book, but as I read his words and the author's bond with his dog, I drew that comparison.
Very entertaining and enlightening reading on how we can relate to "our best friend."
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