Categotry Archives: Shakespeare for Dogs

“I am wealthy in my friends.”                           ~Willhound Shakespeare

For dogs and people alike, a life without friends is a poor one, indeed. Because our culture uses money almost exclusively as the measuring stick for wealth and success, prioritizing and valuing other forms of wealth often goes to the dogs.

But as the Greater Good Science Center reports, “the upshot of 50 years of happiness research is that the quantity and quality of…social connections…is so closely related to well-being and personal happiness, the two can practically be equated.” So, dogs, if you want to bark up the right tree, pursue wealth in friends. You will be one happy puppy!

“And though she be but little, she is fierce.”                                                                                    Willhound Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespeare understood that small beings can also be mighty. We small dogs have our own style of ferocity. We are fiercely loyal to our humans. We love fiercely. And we sometimes play fiercely. We bring a large presence in a small package.

For a dog to have her wholeness, she has to be more than just a cute face. When channeled appropriately, ferocity is a strength. And so, this Shakespeare for Dogs honors the mighty power and substance in small pooches everywhere~ Grrrr….

“You should be women, And yet your beards forbid me to interpret That you are so.”        ~ Willhound Shakespeare, Macbeth

This might be my human’s favorite line in all of Shakespeare. She laughs aloud every time she reads it. When Macbeth and Banquo come across three witches on a heath, Banquo immediately endears himself to them by questioning their femininity! That always works.

But for a canine gal, the beard is part of her beauty. She has the allure of a hairy muzzle. For instance, look at these two stunning gals…not only do they have magnificent beards, they have gorgeous white unibrows as well! Wow and Woof! So, while Shakespeare may question the beauty of a womanly beard, in the canine world the opposite is true. For us, a more accurate quote would be, “You should be women, And yet your missing beards forbid me to interpret That you are so.” Yes, dogs, in our world, a feminine beard is a thing of awesome beauty.

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”   ~Willhound Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

Okay, dogs…sometimes Shakespeare can be a bit intimidating, and sometimes the dialogue just doesn’t make sense. You have to be ready for that. Take the quote above. Juliet is desperate to justify her love for Romeo. Of course, I can understand that. I feel the same way about my dog walker.

But then Juliet says names are of no matter. Is a Capulet a Montague? Any dog knows this is crazy talk. Is a ball a bone? Is a sit a down? Confuse these, and no treat for you. And nothing can fool a dog’s nose! If Juliet were here, I would tell her that a rose by any other name is probably some other kind of flower! …Maybe a poppy, or a daisy, or even yarrow.

So, as much as I love Willhound Shakespeare, I think he got this one wrong…What’s in a name, dogs? Everything.

“O, Dog Bone, Dog Bone! Wherefore art thou Dog Bone?                                        ~Willhound Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

Ah, the tragedy of a lost bone. We all know the feeling. I often leave my bone somewhere safe and sound…say the middle of the living room rug, only to return later to find it’s missing! That’s when this month’s Shakespeare quote comes in handy. It inspires the search. It conveys the longing. It connects me to every other dog throughout history who has pined for a bone lost. Luckily for me, I usually find my bone smack on top of my toy box where my person moved it. Ah, the joy of a bone found…

“To be a poodle, or not to be a poodle, that is the question—”                                                                             ~Willhound Shakespeare, Hamlet

This is my favorite Willhound Shakespeare quote. The profound nature of the question, first written in 1599, still resonates deeply today. At times, I meditate on it while I chew my bone. This is a great tool for the introspective poodle. Of course, in the end, “To be a poodle” is the obvious answer…but pondering the alternative gives one paws, and perspective. I like to elevate my mind, since my body is only ten inches off the ground! Hmmm…to be ten inches off the ground, or not to be?….I think I have a new question to contemplate.