Puppy Dog Devotions

Puppy Dog Devotions 75 Fun Fido Facts, Bible Truths, and More!

Michelle Medlock Adams and Wendy Hinote Lanier Illustrations by William H. Hinote

Birmingham, Alabama

New Hope Publishers 100 Missionary Ridge Birmingham, AL 35242 New Hope Publishers is an imprint of Iron Stream Media NewHopePublishers.com IronStreamMedia.com Copyright © 2021 by Michelle Medlock Adams and Wendy Hinote Lanier No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Iron Stream Media serves its authors as they express their views, which may not express the views of the publisher.

LCCN: 2021934278 All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com.

The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™ Scripture quotation marked AMPC is taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMPC), Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.lockman.org.

Scripture quotations marked CEV are taken from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-1-56309-441-5 Ebook ISBN: 978-1-56309-442-2 1 2 3 4 5—25 24 23 22 21 Printed in the United States of America

Dedication

From Michelle For Bob B. Bridge—‟BBB” the best writer I’ve ever read, an amazing mentor, a great friend, and the only person I know who might love dogs more than I do.

Also, in memory of my late dog-loving mother Marion Medlock— who fed every stray in the neighborhood.

I’m sure your heavenly home is filled with many fur babies.

From Wendy To all the dogs I’ve loved who’ve shown me God’s love and acceptance in its purest form.

I truly believe dogs are God’s special gift to us.

They will almost always point us to Him if we take the time to look.

And to my dad—the man who is always there when you need him.

I’m proud to call you my Pop.

v

Contents

Acknowledgments

xi

Introduction

1

1. Afghan Hound

4

2. Akita

6

3. Alaskan Malamute

8

4. American English Coonhound

10

5. American Eskimo Dog

12

6. American Foxhound

14

7. Australian Cattle Dog

16

8. Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog

18

9. Basenji

20

10. Basset Hound

22

11. Beagle

24

12. Belgian Malinois

26

13. Bernese Mountain Dog

28

14. Bloodhound

30

15. Border Collie

32

16. Boston Terrier

34

17. Boxer

36

18. Bull Terrier

38

19. Bulldog

40

20. Bullmastiff

42

vii

Contents

21. Cairn Terrier

44

22. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

46

23. Chihuahua

48

24. Chinese Crested

50

25. Chinese Shar-Pei

52

26. Chow Chow

54

27. Cocker Spaniel

56

28. Czechoslovakian Vlcak

58

29. Dachshund

60

30. Dalmatian

62

31. Doberman Pinscher

64

32. French Bulldog

66

33. German Shepherd

68

34. German Shorthaired Pointer

70

35. Golden Retriever

72

36. Goldendoodle

74

37. Great Dane

76

38. Greyhound

78

39. Ibizan Hound

80

40. Irish Setter

82

41. Japanese Chin

84

42. Jack Russell Terrier

86

43. Keeshond

88

44. Komondor

90

45. Labrador Retriever

92

46. Lhasa Apso

94

viii

Puppy Dog Devotions

47. Maltese

96

48. Maremma Sheepdog

98

49. Mixed Breed

100

50. Newfoundland

102

51. Old English Sheepdog

104

52. Papillon

106

53. Pekingese

108

54. Pembroke Welsh Corgi

110

55. Pomeranian

112

56. Poodle

114

57. Pug

116

58. Puggle

118

59. Puli

120

60. Rat Terrier

122

61. Rhodesian Ridgeback

124

62. Rottweiler

126

63. Saint Bernard

128

64. Samoyed

130

65. Schipperke

132

66. Scottish Terrier

134

67. Shetland Sheepdog (Shelties)

136

68. Shih Tzu

138

69. Siberian Husky

140

70. Standard Schnauzer

142

71. Weimaraner

144

72. Welsh Terrier

146 ix

Contents

73. West Highland White Terrier

148

74. Whippet

150

75. Yorkshire Terrier

152

Conclusion

154

Dog Groups as Recognized by the American Kennel Club

155

Glossary of Competition Terms

156

Notes

158

About the Authors

173

x

Acknowledgments

Much love and many thanks to William H. Hinote for stepping up to help us with the artwork when we needed him.

xi

Introduction

F

rom the time I was a little girl, I always loved dogs. My sister and my brother were much older, so I grew up like an only child. My best friend? My beloved dachshund named Penny. In fact, she was my only friend for quite some time.

We lived in a nice neighborhood in a small town in southern Indiana, but there were no children who lived nearby. Once or twice a year, a little girl named Angela would visit her father who lived next door, and that was nice.

I looked forward to her visits, but two visits a year didn't make for much of a friendship. So Penny became my best friend.

We were inseparable. She was a great playmate. Sometimes, I'd tie a bonnet on Penny's head and drape pearls around her neck. Then I'd put on my floppy hat and my mother's high heels, and we'd have tea parties. Of course, I'd pour real water in Penny's cup and give myself imaginary tea. It was always great fun, and Penny was the perfect guest.

Other times, Penny and I would sit in my sandbox, and I would make up stories. I'd tell her all about the princes and princesses who lived in my tree house. And sometimes, I'd make up stories about her. She liked it when I'd mention her name every so often. She'd wag her tail and give me a lick as if to say, “That's good. Go on. Go on.”

Penny was a great cheerleader too. When my dad taught me to ride my bike in the alley behind our house, Penny would bark and run in circles, cheering me on to life without training wheels. When I'd fall and scrape my knee, which I often did, Penny would run to my side and lick away the tears. She was always right by my side.

On my first day of kindergarten, Penny rode with me in the front seat of my mom's car. As I walked away from the car and waved goodbye to that wet 1

Introduction

nose pressed against the inside of the car window, I smiled just knowing that she'd be waiting for me when I got home.

As I grew up, our friendship grew too. I told Penny everything. She was a great listener. She didn't have a huge vocabulary, but her eyes and tail wags spoke volumes. I know in my heart that Penny is in heaven, waiting for me, alongside several other dogs I have loved and said goodbye to over the years—Max, Maddie Anne, and Miller.

My love for dogs has been a lifelong love affair. We've always had a dog or two in our home, and we always will. I'm guessing you love dogs too, or you wouldn't be reading this book. Dogs are the most amazing creatures, aren't they? Dogs love us when we are at our best, and even when we are at our worst.

And they seem to bring out the best in us. We can learn a lot from our canine companions as you'll see in the pages of this book.

My coauthor Wendy (also a major dog lover) and I hope that you'll discover some interesting facts about the many breeds covered in this book, as well as be encouraged to grow closer to God. We have included a few features to make it easier to use this devotional: ● Unleash the Truth is your key Bible verse for the day. You might even want to memorize it. ● Digging Deeper is a section with some questions to ask yourself or maybe even answer in your journal. ● Fido 411 features a fun or interesting fact about that particular breed. ● Weekly Tail-Waggers challenge you to think more deeply about what you've just learned and actually put those lessons into action.

Whether you have your own dog to love or you love puppies from afar, we pray that you enjoy this journey of paws-itivity with us. 😊 Michelle

2

Puppy Dog Devotions

Afghan Hound

Doggie Stats Hound 25 to 27 inches; 50 to 60 pounds The Afghan Hound is recognized as one of the oldest breeds of purebred dogs. Despite being bred in remote parts of Afghanistan as a hunting dog, the Afghan Hound became a favorite of the royals and the upper class. It was introduced to the Western world in the 1800s.1 The Afghan Hound won Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 1957 and 1983.

1927.

How Do You Handle Correction?

Originally used for hunting large prey in both the deserts and the mountains of Afghanistan, the Afghan's long fur coat was needed for warmth. The fact that its coat is lovely is just an added bonus. The Afghan is fast and can run great distances, which made it a great hunting companion. Also, it was able to hold off dangerous animals such as leopards, protecting its owners at all costs. Today, not too many Afghans are hunting or defending against leopards. Instead, they are most likely lounging on the family couch. But, make no mistake, this breed may not want to share the couch with you. The Afghan acts a little bit like a cat, only wanting affection on its terms.

Honestly, if the dog world had a supermodel, it would be the Afghan Hound. With its flowing, silky coat, distinct narrow features, and dignified (sometimes standoffish) attitude, the Afghan Hound is a beautiful, sophisticated dog. But this breed has more than beauty going for it. The Afghan

4

Puppy Dog Devotions

hound is also quite intelligent and a great problem solver. But it's a very stubborn breed, which makes it difficult to train. Here's what else—Afghans are very sensitive animals. They do not respond well to harsh correction, so when you train them, you have to be gentle.

Let's face it. Nobody likes correction—especially harsh correction. But, like the Afghan, we have to be corrected in order to become better. And, the way we receive God's correction and training is by reading the Bible and following His commandments. Without discipline, we can't become the people God has created us to be. Proverbs 12:1 says, “To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction” (NLT). That's pretty clear, isn't it? The best part about God's correction? It's always gentle, and it's always in your best interest. You can trust Him. Unleash the Truth: “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” (Hebrews 12:11 NLT) Digging Deeper: How do you feel when someone corrects you?

Do you respond with a good attitude, knowing that correction will help you grow into a better person?

Fido 411: Did you know that famed artist Pablo Picasso often featured his Afghan “Kabul” in his paintings? It's true!2 Weekly Tail-Waggers: The next time your parents or your teacher or someone else close to you corrects you, take notice of how you respond. Are you too sensitive to receive correction? Do you react with a good attitude? Ask God to help you grow in this area.

Michelle

5

Akita

(uh-KEE-tuh)

Doggie Stats Working 24 to 28 inches; 70 to 130 pounds (Note: Japanese and American Akitas differ in size and weight. The American Akita is slightly larger.)1 Akitas are named for the Akita Prefecture (district or region) of Japan where they originated. They were bred to hunt large game such as boar, deer, and bear.2 Although they have never taken Best in Show at Westminster, Akitas have placed first in the Working group three times. They also excel in obedience, rally, and agility competitions.3 1972

Faithful to the End Akitas are large, powerful dogs, well-known for their courage and loyalty.

They love their families fiercely but strangers—not so much.

In the 1920s, an Akita in Japan became famous all over the world for his devotion and loyalty. Hachiko was the beloved pet of a Japanese professor.

Each day Hachiko walked his owner to the train station in Tokyo and waited there all day for him to return. Then one day, a terrible thing happened. The professor died while he was at work.

That day Hachiko waited at the station just as he had every other day, but his owner never came. Every day for more than ten years he waited. During those years, Hachiko became a symbol of love and faithfulness to the people of Japan. When he finally died, the whole country mourned his death. They

6

Puppy Dog Devotions

built a statue to honor him outside the Tokyo train station where he had waited so long.4 That kind of loyalty is amazing. Hachiko was faithful to his owner to his dying day. It's a kind of faithfulness that is hard to find in people or dogs. But it is exactly the kind of faithfulness we can expect from our heavenly Father.

He is always faithful, even when we're not.

It's a sad fact: people can sometimes hurt us or let us down. That's just part of being human. Everybody makes mistakes. The great thing is that God never makes a mistake. He never hurts us, and He never lets us down. He always keeps His promises. We can trust Him. He loves us with an everlasting love. And He is always there for us. His faithfulness never ends.

Unleash the Truth: “Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.” (Psalm 36:5) Digging Deeper: Have you ever felt like someone let you down?

Fido 411: In 1937 Helen Keller learned the story of the famous Hachiko. She was so impressed she brought the first Akita to the United States.5 Weekly Tail-Waggers: Take time this week to look up the following scriptures: Psalm 57:10; Psalm 86:15; Psalm 91:4; Psalm 100:5; Psalm 119:30; Isaiah 25:1; and Lamentations 3:23. Read them and think about what they mean. God is faithful!

Wendy

7