Date: September 24, 2021
Anyone who has been in a meeting or a lecture with me knows that the Markhams have recently followed in a VTS tradition and now have a labradoodle puppy. It is partly the pandemic; if maintaining human contact is harder, then it is lovely to have a companion you are still allowed to hug. It is partly the season in life: my wife and I need to take walks – we need the exercise; and it is partly the moment when I wanted to reconnect with my youth and revisit the joy of the presence of a dog in the home.
I confess freely it has been challenging. Maddie requires considerable attention, and I had forgotten the joys of a 2:00 a.m. stroll outside. And dog training lessons are great, but rapidly become useless if you don’t practice the required exercises.
Maddie is one of many dogs added to the VTS community this year. We welcome them all. Dogs are precious companions, and yes, God really does love dogs.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President