SIGNIFICANCE

Okay, call me corny but I like just about every show on Animal Planet and another TV program called Extreme Makeover.  If you haven’t seen Extreme Makeover, it’s a show where a special family that has either endured really tough times and/or has spent their life helping others to the point of living in a raggedy house.  Extreme Makeover people send these families on vacation and while they are gone construct an extreme, new home for them.  The happy ending (when the family gets a new home) is better than any fairy tale.

A guy on one of the Extreme Makeover shows was explaining why he and his family sacrificed so much for others.  He said, “You can be successful and not be significant.”  I had to think about that one.  I’m a dog and we tend to see things in a simple manner (which might not be a bad idea for most humans). It seemed the logical place to work this out in my head was by understanding the meaning of each word.

Success: Attainment of fame, wealth, or power; something that turns out well; achievement of intention

Significant: meaningful, momentous and influential, substantial

I thought about how hard humans work to be 'successful'.  Usually their ‘success’ is tied to something they call a job or career in exchange for green paper they use to purchase stuff like art, boats, clothes, jewelry, golf clubs and such.  - All things a dog can’t use or appreciate.  When you feed a starving dog, that’s meaningful, when you volunteer for a shelter fundraiser, that’s momentous, when you foster an unloved animal, that’s substantial.

So, here’s my lesson of the day… It seems to me that the Home Makeover guy was on to something.  Just by definition, doing things that are significant seem to be a lot more worthwhile than doing things that humans call successful.  I’d challenge all humans to consider how they spend their time in 2011 to passionately pursue (like a dog does a bone) significance, not success.

Okay, the question of the day is from Spot who asked:  Dear Parker, my teeth are in bad shape.  I keep trying to tell my human how important it is to keep them clean through special gum chews from the vet and brushing but they don’t listen. My teeth hurt. Isn’t this bad?

Dear Spot:

Taking care of a dog’s teeth is very important.  One, you need them to chew. After you lose your 28 baby teeth, you’ll end up with 42 permanent teeth.  -The point being the word ‘permanent’.  To keep them, you must take care of them.

Two, gum disease from tartar creates all sorts of bacteria that can end up in other parts of your body which can damage your kidneys, heart, intestines and joints.  Talk to your vet and they will get your humans to take better care of your teeth.  If they don't, use the teeth you have left and bite them until they get the point.