Fwd: ScienceDaily: College Students Find Comfort In Their Pets During Hard Times

This crossed my radar recently. Anyone surprised? I always improve the
quality of life of those I live with.

Chester

College Students Find Comfort In Their Pets During Hard Times
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081223091318.htm

A new study suggests that college students may handle stressful
situations better if they have a pet. Research has already shown that
pets can improve the quality of life for people who are aging or those
who are chronically ill. But researchers have recently found that many
college students may also benefit from owning a cat or a dog.

I have heard it suggested, many times, that if people were more like dogs, then people would be happier, the world would be a better place. But, if people were more like dogs there would be other outcomes. Sexual morality codes would be completely different. And people would be dogs, not people. 

The Dog Genone

"We may be more like dogs than we think."  Go figure.  They estimate the dog genome is around 19,300 genes, but that there are around 20,000 genetic differences between species. Sheesh. How the hail does that work out?

 ScienceDaily -- Molecular biologists have completely sequenced the first dog genome. Understanding how genetics plays a role in canine diseases could lead to new treatments for diseases shared by humans, such as diabetes, epilepsy and cancer. Breeders could also soon be able to check the purity of pedigrees by sending dogs' cheek swabs to the lab.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2006/0704-doggy_genes.htm#

Warin is the Key?

Warin's pitch at that pack meeting 2 nights ago is exquisitely simple: He is a weredog-werewolf hybrid. There are others, few. And they are the best hope to defeating the neo's, this new species that seems to be bent on both our extinctions. 

The human neo's have adapted to replace homosapiens, just as homosapiens replaced neanderthals, and the way dogs nearly replaced wolves. A hybrid is the best bet of doing an end-around of the natural order and process of these types of things. 

This was met with some silence, and then a major absence of silence. It took some moments for the realization to hit most present that what this hybrid plan would require is for lots of weredogs and werewolves to link up and do the "big nasty." I kept my mouth shut.

There are reasons why weredog-werewolf unions are taboo, why the entire concept of  hybrids from such unions has for eons been verboten, even under pain of death.

Just got home. Made the rounds with Warin. We talked. You can about what. Also, I have other things to catch up on. Need to get online with my Schwab account and sell some stock. Got an former lover trying to connect with me in Facebook. I want to chat with her. But, can never see her. The problem is that she is now around 64, and I still look the same, in human form. Well, in dog form too, for that matter.

Also, got to actually get some shut-eye tonight, at least a couple hours. Jack is taking us to the dog run at Shawnee Mission Lake in the morning, early. Can't wait. It's always a circus there on Saturday mornings. And lots of babe action, in terms of both dogs and women.

Warin's Inquisition

So, Warin is a half-breed and some dogs have been howling for an investigation, inquiry, inquisition. Take your pick. 

Weredogs, and werewolves, have traditionally feared half-breeds. I have always been told that werewolves killed them as pups, as soon as they found them. The problem is the unknown. No one completely understands or can predict how these creatures, these hybrids will act and behave, to whom will go their loyalty. 

Keep in mind the eons-long war that weredogs and werewolves have been locked into, each bent on and dedicated to the other's annihilation. But, if you recall all my recent interactions with werewolves lately, in particular Dionna and Diella, you realize that things have been changing between weredogs and werewolves. 

So, last night's pack meeting was full. Everyone was there. Holly presided, tried to maintain some semblance of order. The gavel did not work. So, she resorted to howling. Holly can howl. 

First several dogs spoke about the danger that Warin presents, how we cannot be certain of his loyalty. They went on about history and tradition and order. Several of them veered off into rabid anti-werewolf rants. 

Finally, Holly said it was time to hear from dogs who support Warin. I was the only one who rose to speak. I said that Warin has stood with me, fought alongside me, ate out of the same bowl with me. I know his scent, I said. I trust him as much as anyone. 

There was silence. Holly then asked if Warin wanted to speak.

The silence flattened as Warin stood, in human form. He looked around the room, then said, "I am the key to defeating the neo's."

Warin's Story

OK. Here it is: Warin is a mix. His mother was a werwolf and his father a weredog.

Now, that may not seem like a big deal, if you are human. But, in the canine world, especially amongst weredogs and werewolves, it is a very big deal. It is verbotten in weredom. Taboo. 

There is another troubling aspect to Warin and these types of unions: procreation. Werefolk are not supposed to be born.

Werefolk are not born. They are "brought in," initiated, or "converted." For example, I was born a dog, then was brought into weredom, if you will recall, after my family was slaughtered during The French and Indian Wars. Werewolves are the same - born either wolf or human and make the change.

That is except for Warin and folk like him.

For reasons no one understands, weredogs and werewolves can procreate. Their offspring are, as you might imagine, hybrids, both dog and wolf, with behaviors and traits of both. 

Made It Out

Jack slept tonight. I made the meeting. Good thing. And I did not have to drug him or knock him out. I swear.

Also - I found Rooster. He has been missing for just over a month. I saw him near where the meeting was, miles, and miles, from home. I called to him for 2 minutes before finally he approached me. 

"Hey. It's me. Chester," I said.

I looked at me like he could not think who that was. Then his body relaxed, some, and he came right up to me and said, "Got any food?"

I told him I did not, but at home I could fix him up. He looked at me. "Home?"

"Yeah. You know. The house with all the people, and food. The people provide the food. Remember?"

Too much to tell about the meeting. Suffice it to say that Warin needed my support. There are allot of nervous dogs around here right now, some willing to do anything. Someone learned of Warin's ancestry and some started howling for an inquisition. Dogs are worse even than people when it comes to inquisitions.

Need to sleep now. Up at 6:0am when Jack gets up to feed up. Flecka insists on eating early. 

Up with Jack

Have not been able to get out at night lately. Not since last Thursday. The new situation involves Jack staying up all night, watching TV and getting drunk. He just passed out about 30 minutes ago.

Jack cannot sleep. I have noticed other symptoms of his emotional instability - outbursts of anger, crying (yes, it's true) or often just tearing up, bad memory, inability to concentrate, or focus, clumsiness, and icy stoicism. There's more. But those are the biggies.

Men crying and tearing up in a no-no, of course. Except in certain circumstances. Hell, I get choke and teared up whenever I hear the songs Ballad of the Green Berets and Copperhead Road. Every time. Can't even help it. 

Anyway, I have not been able to get away, to get out at night, and have missed several appointments as a result. What is a dog to say? It's not like I can just shift in front of Jack and say, "See you in the morning."

Flecka's nose is better. The medication Jack has been putting on it seems to be doing the job. It is entertaining to watch them. Jack has to sit on the floor and hold her nose and mouth, so that she cannot lick it off, then apply the liquid med and hold on for ten minutes so that she odes not lick it off. Twice a day. Sometimes she cooperates. And sometimes it's like watching a crocodile trying to drown a grizzly, the way she twists and turns, trying to get away from Jack's hold. 

Jack and Sherry took me for a walk tonight. Not Flecka. She has been low on steam lately. She smells OK, though. Just old. And 2 bad knees. Anyway, it got dark before we were halfway. We went through a park near the house. It weaves between 2 subdivisions. It got dark quick in that park, due to the density of trees. Sherry got a little scared, and said so. Jack laughed. I would have, but huffed and whined instead. Between me and Jack, she had nothing to worry about.

My point of this story is the fire flies. There were thousands of them. Everywhere. It was like being in a fairy storm, or on some sort of ride at Disneyland. The 3 of us just had to stop at one point and stand there and stare in wide wonder. 

Soon after, a few strides down the path, I heard Warin's bark. It was a bark that said, "I need to talk to you. Urgent." Crap, I thought. Oh well. I pulled the leash free of Jack's hand and took off. His cursing behind me assured me there would be a price to pay for this. It better be worth it.

I latched on Warin's scent, and found him, in dog form, nearby, several houses away, in the back year, under a lilac bush. He said I have to make it to a pack meeting tonight. It is essential I am there. He smelled very serious. So, I better be there. Warin gave no clue what this is about.

If Jack does not go down early tonight, I may have to knock his ass out.