To Walk a Pagan Path: Practical Spirituality for Every Day by Alaric Albertsson Page B
Authors: Alaric Albertsson
Tags: Reference
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shop. The best pet
shops are aware of this and no longer sell puppies at all. In
stores where puppies are still sold, no matter what the sales-
man tells you, it is highly unlikely that the puppy in the win-
dow came from a reputable breeder. Responsible breeders
who care about their dogs simply do not permit their pup-
pies to be displayed in shop cages for passersby to gawk at.
The puppy in the window probably came from a puppy mill
where adult dogs are kept in miserable conditions for the sole
purpose of producing live “merchandise”.
f 92 2
familiar spirits
When you go directly to a breeder, you have the opportu-
nity to meet the puppy’s mother. (If the mother is not on the
premises, leave immediately. Something is amiss.) The father
may or may not be present, but your puppy should still be
with its mom. The breeder should be willing to answer any
questions you may have, and ideally will ask you a few questions. Good breeders want to know something about who is
taking their puppies. Do not be offended if the breeder asks
about your home, how many hours a day you will be gone
and so on. These questions are evidence that the breeder has
the puppy’s best interest at heart. It means your puppy was
bred by someone who cared very much about it.
If you go to a shelter you should also ask questions and
expect reasonable answers. A good shelter will tell you every-
thing known about the dog’s history, and should let you
spend some time alone with the animal before you make
a decision. After all, they do not want you to bring the dog
back so it is in their own best interest to match you with an
animal that you will enjoy living with.
It is a compassionate gesture to adopt a shelter dog, but
you must be even more careful in your choice if you intend
the animal to become your familiar spirit. With the excep-
tion of newborn puppies, every shelter dog has a history, and
it may take months or even years for a dog that has been tor-
mented and abused to enter into a familiar relationship with
any human being. It is not my intention to discourage any-
one from adopting a dog from a shelter. A shelter dog can
and should become a great companion, but the odds of this
happening will be greater if you choose the animal careful-
f 93 2
familiar spirits
ly and learn as much as you can about it before bringing it
home.
The 16th century witch’s familiar, regardless of species,
was tamed by feeding it milk, chicken or bread (Murray, p.
84). I question how effective this is with toads, which, in my
experience, take very little interest in bread, but it is certainly the best way to initiate a familiar relationship with your
dog! Food is a universal language, signifying comfort. Profes-
sional dog trainers always use food as a part of their process.
Food is a means of communicating to your dog that you are
a source of security and fulfillment.
Unfortunately most people feed their dogs with the same
disinterest that they refuel their automobiles. The typical dog owner fills a bowl with dry kibble and leaves it on the floor
all day. Thus the food has no meaning.
Begin feeding your dog immediately when you first
bring it home, but not in a bowl. Sit before your household
altar with your dog next to you. Take a bit of food and offer
it to the dog with your fingers. Speak its name, praise the
dog when it takes the food, and then give it another small
piece. If the dog snaps at your fingers, do not scold it; simply remove the food. Only allow the dog to have the food when
taking it gently from your hand.
Look at everything that is happening as you do this. The
dog is learning its name. It is learning that sitting quietly
beside you at the altar is a good thing. It is learning that you are the source of good things (food). It is learning that good
things are more accessible when taken politely. In essence, it
is learning to have a comfortable, familiar relationship with
you.
f 94
shops are aware of this and no longer sell puppies at all. In
stores where puppies are still sold, no matter what the sales-
man tells you, it is highly unlikely that the puppy in the win-
dow came from a reputable breeder. Responsible breeders
who care about their dogs simply do not permit their pup-
pies to be displayed in shop cages for passersby to gawk at.
The puppy in the window probably came from a puppy mill
where adult dogs are kept in miserable conditions for the sole
purpose of producing live “merchandise”.
f 92 2
familiar spirits
When you go directly to a breeder, you have the opportu-
nity to meet the puppy’s mother. (If the mother is not on the
premises, leave immediately. Something is amiss.) The father
may or may not be present, but your puppy should still be
with its mom. The breeder should be willing to answer any
questions you may have, and ideally will ask you a few questions. Good breeders want to know something about who is
taking their puppies. Do not be offended if the breeder asks
about your home, how many hours a day you will be gone
and so on. These questions are evidence that the breeder has
the puppy’s best interest at heart. It means your puppy was
bred by someone who cared very much about it.
If you go to a shelter you should also ask questions and
expect reasonable answers. A good shelter will tell you every-
thing known about the dog’s history, and should let you
spend some time alone with the animal before you make
a decision. After all, they do not want you to bring the dog
back so it is in their own best interest to match you with an
animal that you will enjoy living with.
It is a compassionate gesture to adopt a shelter dog, but
you must be even more careful in your choice if you intend
the animal to become your familiar spirit. With the excep-
tion of newborn puppies, every shelter dog has a history, and
it may take months or even years for a dog that has been tor-
mented and abused to enter into a familiar relationship with
any human being. It is not my intention to discourage any-
one from adopting a dog from a shelter. A shelter dog can
and should become a great companion, but the odds of this
happening will be greater if you choose the animal careful-
f 93 2
familiar spirits
ly and learn as much as you can about it before bringing it
home.
The 16th century witch’s familiar, regardless of species,
was tamed by feeding it milk, chicken or bread (Murray, p.
84). I question how effective this is with toads, which, in my
experience, take very little interest in bread, but it is certainly the best way to initiate a familiar relationship with your
dog! Food is a universal language, signifying comfort. Profes-
sional dog trainers always use food as a part of their process.
Food is a means of communicating to your dog that you are
a source of security and fulfillment.
Unfortunately most people feed their dogs with the same
disinterest that they refuel their automobiles. The typical dog owner fills a bowl with dry kibble and leaves it on the floor
all day. Thus the food has no meaning.
Begin feeding your dog immediately when you first
bring it home, but not in a bowl. Sit before your household
altar with your dog next to you. Take a bit of food and offer
it to the dog with your fingers. Speak its name, praise the
dog when it takes the food, and then give it another small
piece. If the dog snaps at your fingers, do not scold it; simply remove the food. Only allow the dog to have the food when
taking it gently from your hand.
Look at everything that is happening as you do this. The
dog is learning its name. It is learning that sitting quietly
beside you at the altar is a good thing. It is learning that you are the source of good things (food). It is learning that good
things are more accessible when taken politely. In essence, it
is learning to have a comfortable, familiar relationship with
you.
f 94
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