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Man's Best Friend?

Have you ever wondered where the phrase “man’s best friend” comes from?

Possibly the most popular domestic animal in the world, the dog is traditionally favoured for his loyalty and devotion to man. Dogs are adored in households across the land, are regarded as family members and are even used as a form of therapy in treatment of mental health conditions. But if we look to the past, the public’s opinion on the canine species has fluxuated throughout history. The Buddhist faith, for example, determine that when, before his death, Siddhartha Gautama summoned all animals to his deathbed, the dog was one of the twelve species that reached him, and consequently the dog was given a year in the Chinese Zodiac. The ancient Welsh legend of Gelert is another example of the canine species’ loyalty to man; Gelert, the dog of Prince Llywelyn, who was slain when the Prince wrongly believed that Gelert had murdered his baby son, only to discover that in fact, his furry friend had saved his baby from being ripped to pieces by a wolf.

However, before the eighteenth century, dogs were kept as working and hunting animals rather than pets, and many ancient phrases suggest that dogs were vicious and disease-carrying. To “cast someone to the dogs” (1556) would have been a terrifying prospect while to “lead a dog’s life” (1528) would mean your existence was of a poor quality. Dog hangings were not unusual either, with unlucky hounds being punished for chasing a farmer’s flock.

The phrase "man’s best friend" has been claimed by the town of Warrensburg in Missouri, where in 1870 during a court case involving a farmer shooting the dog of a neighbour, George Graham Vest gave a heartbreaking eulogy to the animal, stating that when all other friends desert, [the dog] remains”.

So is your lovely Lab, cuddly Collie or sweet Staffordshire Bull Terrier your best friend? If our office legendary megadog Pippa is anything to go by then that’s definitely a yes. She’s making puppy dog eyes at the boss as we speak. Silly girl!

The Temple of the Reclining Buddha

Have you been to Thailand? If you have, you may have visited Wat Pho in Bangkok, more popularly known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha.

Wat Pho is the official home of the monumental statue of the Reclining Buddha in the world. Named after a monastery in India which was the supposed home of the Siddhartha Gautama, the original Wat Pho was constructed 200 years before Bangkok became Thailand’s capital city and is the official super gallery of Buddha images with over 1000 images of the idol in one place. Thousands of tourists flock there every year to see the acclaimed statue; measuring in at 46 meters long and 15 meters high, the Buddha is gold plated and is a symbol of his transition from the mortal world into a state of Nirvarna. Siddhartha Gautama believed that in order to reach this state of ultimate peace and tranquillity, humans were required to rid themselves of all sense of want in their lives. The reclining Buddha has certainly seems done so, as he lies casually resting on one arm. Luxuriously encrusted with mother of pearl and resting on a bed of lavish blue glass mosaics, his feet are divided into 108 sections, displaying defining symbols of the Buddha. The number 108 once more in the corridor in the form of bronze bowls where visitors donate coins towards the upkeep of the wat in the hope of receiving good luck.

*INTERESTING FACT- Wat Pho is the home of Thailand’s first university and is renowned as the best place to get a traditional Thai massage. The rich and famous flock here in abundance to be expertly poked and prodded, and Thai massage tips dating from the reign of King Rama III are carved on the walls. I have had a Thai massage-note to self- it hurts, but is so worth it!!*

Herts and Essex Observer-Stansted Labrador takes orphaned duckling under his wing

"A diddy duckling has found an unusual foster parent after its mother was killed by a fox. Dennis the duckling was found abandoned next to a brook in Mountfitchet Castle, in Stansted, when the site owners were out for a walk. Worries about how Dennis would keep warm and clean on a cold day were soon dispelled when 4-year-old Fred the Labrador took over and licked him him clean, sending the orphaned duckling into a contented sleep snuggled up against him, said castle owner Jeremy Goldsmith.

To read the full article on the Herts and Essex Observer website, please click here.

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Thursday 12 April 2012

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Thursday 12 April 2012

Visit our new site

Home Interiors Go on, click it...you know you want to!

No comments:

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Home Interiors

Go on, click it...you know you want to!