Spirit of Christmas Lessons from the Late Great Professors Buster & Precious: Now reaping their heavenly rewards in Doggie Heaven
Published In Kankakee Daily Journal
By Dr. Ed Piatt and Dr. Don
Dr. Piatt and I have been writing the Main Street column for over 12 ½ years. With over 700 articles between us, we still consider the Buster and Precious article one of the best. It was initially published in 2010 and then updated in October 2015. In celebration of more than 12 years of writing, we would like to update this favorite article again on our beloved pets. They have since passed and have gone on to reap their eternal Christmas rewards in Doggie Heaven.
No doubt, most of you have read the poem “Everything I ever needed to know I learned in kindergarten.” In that spirit, we want to add, “Everything we ever needed to know about the Christmas Spirit we learned from our deceased dogs, Buster and Precious.”
Sooner or later, every pet owner faces the difficult decision to put a pet to sleep. The Daakes had the inevitable task of making that decision about their beloved dachshund, Precious. The Piatts had to make a similar decision regarding their beloved Buster. It was as difficult as if Santa had to put down Rudolph and Dasher!
Looking back at our dogs’ lives, we realized that a good share of management theory and the Spirit of Christmas could be taught by “professors” Buster and Precious. While the lessons are many, we will limit Buster and Precious to three each.
Buster’s Profound Teachings
Buster was a friendly yet protective dog. If you were outside the fence he would view you as a potential threat, but Buster was your friend once you were let inside. A good manager understands that there are potential dangers to their employees and are protective of their people against outsiders who might do them harm. But they make it clear that once you join up and display loyalty you will be part of the family and deserve respect and protection. In essence, you are considered family, and there is a mutually beneficial relationship that endures based on trust, loyalty, and commitment to growing and sustaining the relationship.
Buster understood who fed him, and while others in the household might have been insiders, the highest loyalty was reserved for the hands that fed him. Being loyal to one’s organization and the boss is really important. It recognizes who provides us employment and the opportunity to do important work. While we never would advocate blind loyalty, or overlooking unethical behavior, loyalty is a rare quality today. As one of our associates once told us. “There is an excellent chance that if you are riding a horse that you and the horse will arrive at the same time.” So, whether we are talking about horses, dogs, or bosses, learn to be loyal. Chances are you and your boss will prosper together. Finally, have an empathetic relationship and understand how the other person is feeling so that you may gain deeper insight into issues and problems as they occur.
Finally, one of the most critical lessons Buster taught us was how to love everyone. When Buster went to the groomer to get his haircut, the owner had several cats and a potbelly pig. Other dogs would bark at the cats and the owner’s beloved potbelly pig. Not Buster! He would lay down with the cats and eventually went up to the pig and licked his nose. The owner was astounded because no other dog ever had done that. The management lesson – is that not everyone will love us, let alone try to kiss us. But we need to get along with everyone and not discriminate against those who are different–even if they come across like a potbelly pig!
Spirit of Christmas Lessons from Precious
Even though Precious’s “master” was warned repeatedly about feeding her table food, the advice was ignored. Without getting carried away lesson one: It is a good practice to relax during this holiday season when we get together with friends, family, and co-workers.
As it turns out, the all-to-premature death of Precious had nothing to do with steak, eggs, butter, and forbid, an occasional piece of cake. But we do see many people dying each year at Christmas-time from too much stress and pressure. Precious had a good life and died with a smile on her face and sweet memories of goodies across the years because of plentiful table food. The take away, you ask? While discipline and healthy habits are essential, so is the occasional sweet pleasure of steaks, cookies, and eggnog along the way. And rather than trying to do everything at Christmas, relax a bit more and savor life.
Lesson two also has to do with food but has a broader application. Precious was an incredible health-o-meter! The more vigorously she gobbled down the food, the less healthy it was for humans. All of us need to have the equivalent of a taster (like the kings of old.) Precious many times reminded us to eat those rich foods in moderation. We are not advocating an unhealthy lifestyle or overly risky behavior, but we may need to loosen up a bit during this time of year.
Extending this beyond food, we need to go past our usual daily patterns and cheer up others, be generous in giving, contacting old friends, and making new friends. I think I can hear Precious’s barking out a quote by David Cameron, “Christmas gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect on the important things around us.”
Thirdly, before you think we were terrible “pet parents” admit nobody is perfect. One house rule was: Precious was not allowed to hop up onto most of the furniture. But there was a chair or two that we allowed or at least tolerated her sleeping on at night. And yet, when I would come out in the morning ready for my coffee, Precious would jump off the chair and make room for me. So often after I got my coffee, Precious would be invited up onto my lap as the featured guest. With a wagging tail, a friendly bark, and a doggie smile, Precious could have even mellowed Ebenezer Scrooge. At this time of year, we need to be full of grace, hope, and good cheer.
As it turns out, not only are dogs mans’ best friend, they are superb professors and examples for us. Our pets seem to live the Spirit of Christmas each and every day. Let’s follow their lead.
Dr. Don Daake's Comments 