Why dogs do not live as long as people?

Sheila sent me this in an email and I thought I would post it… It’s amazing how kids think. I still want a dog though.


Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old
Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and
their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker and they were
hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer.
I told the family there were no miracles left for Belker, and offered to
perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As we made
arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good
for the four-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though
Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's
Family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the
last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a
few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to
accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion.

We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud
about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane,
who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."
Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next
stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good
life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The
four-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that,
so they don't have to stay as long."