Engagement is a "faux ami" + Welcoming a Pet into the Family & Responsibility
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
"Adopt Don't Shop"... is that even debatable? And yet the decision between adopting from a shelter or choosing a puppy from a breeder isn't always straightforward. Read Jean-Marc's essay about our current dog dilemma, and we welcome your thoughts and experiences in the comments. (Picture taken at one of the animal rescue centers we visited this month).
Today's word is a faux-ami or false cognate (or "false friend"): it resembles an English word but it has a different meaning:
L’ENGAGEMENT
: commitment
"Engagement" in French refers to a commitment, promise, or involvement in a specific task, cause, or relationship. It is often used in contexts such as engagements in relationships, job contracts, or social and political commitments.
However, in English, the word "engagement" primarily refers to a period of time when two people have agreed to marry, or it can also mean involvement or participation in an activity or event. While there is some overlap in meaning between the French and English usage, the primary emphasis and connotation of the word differ. (https://chat.openai.com)
Example Sentence
L'engagement de bien prendre soin d'un chien est essentiel lorsqu'on l'accueille dans sa famille. (The commitment to take good care of a dog is essential when welcoming them into one's family.)
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A FEW THOUGHTS ABOUT ADOPTING A DOG...
by Jean-Marc (English translation by chat.openai.com)
In 2006, we went on our summer vacation to the island of Groix in Brittany. During our stay, especially during our walks, we encountered many dogs, which delighted our family. Maxime and Jackie were 11 and 9 years old at the time, and I thought it was the right moment to welcome such an animal into our home. Our house had a large fenced garden and was located in a neighborhood with many walking paths. I believed that this provided a guarantee of comfort and important integration for the future member of our household, as well as for us.
After inquiring with veterinarians around Draguignan, we learned about a litter of Golden Retrievers. Through this channel, we met and chose Breizh (a name in Breton language that means "Brittany") when she was just a few months old in an animal shelter in Luc-en-Provence. Everything went really well with our little dog, and the children took great care of her. It was pure happiness for our extended family. Later on, she had a litter of puppies, and that's when we decided to keep her son, Smokey... and that's when the troubles began. I won't dwell too much on this because it's not the purpose of my text, but as the children naturally paid more attention to their friends than to the dogs, Breizh and Smokey, among their mischiefs, regularly ran away, causing us a lot of worries. It was then that we realized the immense responsibility of having a dog in the family.
Now, as we find ourselves without a furry companion and after mourning the loss of Smokey last July, the temptation is strong to consider welcoming another one. Kristi and I recently visited two dog shelters. The overall feeling that comes to mind is that these animals suffer a double injustice. After being abandoned and often mistreated, they live confined in small cages, despite the kind-hearted volunteers who come to walk them. Adopting them is indeed a true act of love, but is it always the right solution? Because an adult dog from a shelter carries a heavy past that needs to be overcome. It is possible that they may never fully recover from their trauma, and I humbly admit that if it brings us additional troubles, I prefer not to take that risk. According to me, having a dog should be a pleasure for its owner, and it is this joy that will make the animal happy. In the opposite case, it becomes a suffering for both, which is why it is crucial to think carefully before making such a decision. Too often, without proper consideration, families are enticed by a puppy or even an adult dog from a shelter, but if the general conditions of care are not met, the animal unfortunately ends up alone and confined again. At best, if the family brings them back to the shelter, and at worst, they are abandoned on a highway rest area, as often happens at the beginning of summer vacations.
To be honest with you, I think Kristi and I are a bit lost about whether it's the right time for us to have a dog again, and if so, whether we should adopt from a shelter or go to a breeder to choose a puppy. In the end, we're leaving things up to chance, with the idea that it's more up to the future dog to come to us, and if it happens, we'll know it's the right one.
by Jean-Marc
En 2006, nous sommes allés passer nos vacances d'été sur l'île de Groix en Bretagne. Pendant notre séjour et particulièrement au cours de nos balades, nous avons croisé de nombreux chiens, ce qui a plu à notre famille. Maxime et Jackie avaient 11 et 9 ans à l'époque et je me suis dit que c'était le bon moment d'accueillir un tel animal chez nous. Notre maison avait un grand jardin clôturé et se situait dans un quartier avec de nombreux chemins de balades. Je me suis dit que cela constituait un gage de confort et d'intégration important pour le futur membre de notre foyer, comme pour nous d'ailleurs.
Renseignements pris auprès des vétérinaires autour de Draguignan, nous avons eu vent d'une portée de Golden Retriever. C'est par ce biais que nous avons rencontré et choisi Breizh (nom en langage Breton pour désigner la Bretagne) lorsqu'elle avait juste quelques mois dans un refuge au Luc en Provence. Tout s'est vraiment bien passé avec notre petite chienne, les enfants s'en occupaient très bien et ce n'était que du bonheur pour notre famille agrandie. Par la suite, elle a eu une portée de chiots et c'est à ce moment que que nous avons décidé de garder son fils Smokey... et que les soucis ont démarré. Je ne veux pas trop m'attarder sur cela car ce n'est pas le propos de mon texte mais, alors que les enfants pensaient naturellement plus à leurs amis qu'aux chiens, que Breizh et Smokey, parmi leurs bêtises, fuguaient régulièrement (nous provoquant beaucoup de soucis)... on se rend alors compte de l'immense responsabilité qu'est d'avoir un chien dans sa famille.
A l'heure où nous nous retrouvons sans toutou et après avoir fait le deuil de Smokey en Juillet dernier, la tentation maintenant est grande de penser à nouveau d'en accueillir un. Kristi et moi avons récemment visité deux refuges pour chien. Le sentiment général qui me vient à l'esprit est que ces animaux subissent une double injustice car après avoir été abandonnés et souvent mal traités, ils vivent enfermés dans une petite cage, ce malgré les bonnes âmes bénévoles qui viennent les promener. Les adopter est donc un vrai acte d'amour mais est-ce toujours la bonne solution? Car un chien adulte issu d'un refuge a son lourd passé qu'il va falloir évacuer. Il se peut d'ailleurs qu'il ne remette pas de son traumatisme et j'avoue humblement penser que si cela doit nous apporter des soucis supplémentaires, je préfère ne pas prendre ce risque. Avoir un chien doit, selon moi, être un plaisir pour son maître et c'est cette joie qui rendra l'animal heureux. Dans le cas inverse, c'est une souffrance pour les deux et c'est pour cela qu'il est très important de bien réfléchir avant de prendre une telle décision. Trop souvent et sans avoir bien considéré la chose, des familles se font séduire par un chiot ou même un chien adulte de refuge mais les conditions générales d'accueil n'étant pas réunies, l'animal va malheureusement se retrouver à nouveau seul et enfermé, au mieux si sa famille le ramène au refuge et au pire si il a été abandonné sur une aire d'autoroute comme souvent cela se passe au début des vacances d'été.
Jean-Marc, our kids, and Smokey years ago in Collioure.
FRENCH VOCABULARY
Click here to listen to the French and English terms below
1. Engagement - (m) - Commitment
2. Île - (f) - Island
3. Vacances - (f/pl) - Vacation/holidays
4. Été - (m) - Summer
5. Balades - (f/pl) - Walks/strolls
6. Chien - (m) - Dog
7. Maison - (f) - House
8. Jardin - (m) - Garden
9. Clôturé(e) - (adj) - Fenced
10. Confort - (m) - Comfort
11. Vétérinaires - (m/pl) - Veterinarians
12. Portée - (f) - Litter
13. Golden Retriever - (m) - Golden Retriever
14. Breizh - (f) - Name (in Breton) for Brittany
15. Mois - (m) - Months
16. Chiot - (m) - Puppy
17. Soucis - (m/pl) - Troubles/worries
18. Malades - (m/pl) - Sick
19. Responsabilité - (f) - Responsibility
20. Refuges - (m/pl) - Shelters
21. Adoption - (f) - Adoption
RELATED STORY
Do you know about France's rule for naming purebred dogs? Learn about the initial-based convention for dog registry (and find out what Breizh means in French)
A "Griffon" we saw at one of the animal shelters. Do you have tips on how to best welcome a shelter dog into a home? Share in the comments.
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Spotted just this morning in La Ciotat: local dog enjoying the maritime breeze. One ear up to determine the direction of the days wind.
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