March 12, 2008 – Most of the people reading this love dogs, and dog love, as I have written, can be a powerful force in our lives. I believe this love has to be managed thoughtfully, and that we need, for the sake of our dogs, to bring some self-awareness and consideration to the process, or it can be isolating, overwhelming and sometimes, not even good for dogs.
  Many dogs lose their lives from a surfeit of dog love – overfeeding, poor training, anthropomorphisizing, being seen as human-like, given behavioral problems that are epidemic – and I think it’s important to respect them as the wonderful animals they are, and to try not to turn them into self-serving objects of our emotional needs, even though it is difficult many times to separate those things. When dogs are treated like children, they often get into trouble, and a culture that loses the distinction between its children and animal companions is, I think, heading to some troubling terrain.
  Lenore is a creature I call the Light. I have three dogs now – Izzy, Rose and Lenore – and while I have had a lot of great dogs (Emma is living with Audrey near Albany, Pearl shares her life between the farm and my daughter Emma’s Brooklyn apartment, and Clementine has gone to live in Vermont for the life of hiking and swimming she deserves), I have never had three quite like these. Rose is an astounding working dog, the manager of my farm and a part of my life, Izzy is an amazing creature and companion who has led me many places, including Hospice Work. Lenore is a Love Dog. Her mission, beautiful creature that she is, is to spread love and joy to the world (she is a Hospice dog also now) and she works at it as diligently and successfully as Rose with her sheep.
  I got Lenore when I was struggling, and I sensed she would brighten my life. She did. I cannot look at her without smiling, and two or three times a day, she clambers into my lap and gnaws on my chin, and licks my face while I laugh and, sometimes, nearly cry with love for this big-hearted creature. She and Izzy are different. Lenore spreads good will by her presence, and her profoundly delightful and loving animating spirit. It is a measure of this creature that even when she hops up into bed, as she does from time to time and throws up something vile, I laugh and go clean it up. Somehow, that has to make me a better human.
  Lenore is all about love, and thus, all about light. She made a huge difference to me at a time when I needed light and love, and now she does the same for many others. She has even won over the imperious Rose, who loves nothing but work, and, when I bring her work, me. Rose and Lenore are often seen tearing after one another out in the yard, and that brings a smile to, as does everything this Love Dog does. I am very fortunate to have her, and give thanks again to Gretchen Pinkel of Kee-Pin Labradors, Argyle, N.Y., for the conscientious job she does of breeding and then matching her wonderful dogs with the right people. Gretchen sensed what I needed, and Lenore provided it. I expect to go on and do great things with this animal, who brings love and light not only to my life, but over time, to many others in so many different ways. It is her work, and my obligation to see that she does it.