The Canine Characters in Call of the Wild at the Chautauqua County Humane Society

What better way to tie a book like Jack London’s Call of the Wild to the local community than by hosting a Big Read book discussion at the Chautauqua County Humane Society? Though the gathering was small, it was an interesting and rewarding discussion about not only the canine characters in the novel, but about the four-legged characters in our own lives. The folks at CCHS were kind enough to allow one of the dogs currently up for adoption to be present during parts of our discussion, which really added to the atmosphere. Our guest of honor was Jubilee, a one year old yellow lab mix, who was eager to say "hello" to everyone who stopped by.

Jubilee with Andy, Tahnee and Ethan

After summarizing the book for those who hadn’t read it, we jumped right into a discussion about the treatment of Buck and the other sled dogs in the novel. Buck and the other dogs were beaten into submission simply to force them into pulling a heavy sled through the frozen tundra of the Yukon. This led into a discussion about proper treatment and care of animals--particularly our pets. A CCHS staff member gave the group an overview about properly caring for your dogs. She said that dogs should always be provided with the basic needs like food, water and grooming, but it’s also important to make sure you have the time to spend with the dog, both indoors and out, and that they are properly socialized, both with other dogs and with humans coming in and out of your (and their!) home. She also mentioned training tactics--particularly the idea of positive reinforcement. She said that dogs often respond better to being rewarded for good behavior, rather than being scolded for bad behavior. To sum it up, she said it best in saying that “the best thing for a dog is the person on the other end of it.”

We also talked about the way London personified--almost humanized--the canine characters in the book, particularly Buck. Buck felt emotions such as fear, confusion, courage, and with John Thornton, love. Participants in the discussion agreed that dogs in their own lives also tend to show human-like emotion and personality. Roxanne, the community relations director for CCHS, brought up the story of Nana, an area dog who lost her life saving her family from a fire. After waking the family and alerting them to the danger, she went inside to rescue the family cat, but never returned. This story was a real-life example of a dog’s capacity for loyalty to their owners.

Al, a group participant, talked about his experience with using therapy dogs in wilderness training programs. He said that these dogs helped to teach kids responsibility. This led into a quick discussion about the role of the wilderness. Al said that “we [as human beings] were originally hunters and gatherers,” and that “getting along in nature should be something everyone knows how to do… this book brings you back to the basics.” Participants in our discussion believed that getting in touch with nature and testing yourself is a good thing and may be ultimately what the book is aimed toward. When you are in wilderness setting, you don’t pause to think about whether or not you are happy or unhappy; you do what you need to do to get by. In many ways, this is how Buck needed to cope with being moved from his cushy life on the Judge’s estate into the harsh and rugged wilderness.

Jubilee saying hello to discussion participants Rowan, Randee, Margo and Al

Our discussion also touched on the difference between humane and inhumane treatment, and whether or not using dogs as working dogs (rescue dogs, therapy dogs, or K-9 police dogs, for example) could be considered inhumane treatment. We talked about the many benefits of using dogs for these kinds of jobs, and in terms of therapy, Roxanne mentioned the ways in which therapy dogs help autistic children with speech and confidence skills, and help sexually abused children cope with their traumatic experiences. Participants seemed to think that the concept of humane vs. inhumane treatment in these working situations is rather subjective, and is really determined by the owner or trainer of the animal. If that trainer would be willing to go in and do that dog’s job for him, or put himself in harm’s way to save the animal if need be, then the use of that dog for work may not be considered inhumane. However, if the dog is treated poorly (like Hal treated Buck and the other dogs in the novel), or the owner has no intention of doing what the dog does (like going into a burning house or finding a bomb) then it can be inhumane to force that dog into doing that job. This discussion also touched on the Iditarod Sled Dog Race that occurs in Alaska every year. Some people feel that the tradition is so valued that it would be a shame to discontinue it, while other seem to think that running these dogs ragged over thousands of miles of rough terrain in only a few days is animal cruelty. Again, our discussion yielded the same subjective answer: it depends on the owner of the animal. These races today take enough safety precautions to insure the health and well-being of the racing dogs, and the general response was that the dog has enough human quality for you to know whether it wants to race or not. If an owner were to continue to run a dog if it did not want to run, or if it were too ill to continue, then that would be a case of inhumane treatment.

We concluded our discussion by addressing the ending of the novel. Was Buck’s return to the wild and his “natural” state a happy ending? Or was it sad to think that the book didn’t come full-circle? Randee, another attendee, said that she didn’t like the way it ended. She wanted the end of the book to come and find that Buck was safe, warm and well-cared for in someone’s home once again.

While that may not have been the way Buck’s story ended, it could be the ending for the many dogs (and cats) currently up for adoption at the Chautauqua County Humane Society. If you are interested in adopting a furry friend looking for a forever home, or if you would like more information about CCHS and it’s many services, you can stop by their Pet Adoption Center on Strunk Rd. in Jamestown, or visit their website at http://www.spcapets.com.

We would especially like to thank Roxanne Wendling and everyone at CCHS for allowing us to host a Big Read discussion at their facility--and to Jubilee for her exuberant welcome!