Surprised by Dogs

I am surprised by dogs when I am told that all of them were developed from the wolf: think of the Pomeranian (its ears!) the Tibetan spaniel (its skirts!) the Dalmatian (its spots!).

All of whom once had eyes that glow red in the dark had limbs that leap above human height and howls that fill the arctic emptiness starvation that tears the throat of a child dentition that rips the flesh from the bone.

No wolf developed ulcers through sheepdog trials or leading the blind, no wolf through carrying a newspaper died of lead poisoning, or from overeating through being left alone with canned meat.

No wolf ran after sticks, lived in a caravan, snuggled with kittens, was longed for at Christmas by little girls, or cocked an ear at His Master's Voice.