Oneloyalfriendisworthtenthousandrelatives,goesafamoussaying.Ofnodoubtfriendshipisoneofthemostpreciousfeelingspeoplecanpossess.InthispaperIwillanalyzeapoem“Howtokeepasetter”devotedtofriendship.

　　“Understandthatattractiontothebirdsisonlynatural”.Thesefirstlinesofthepoemareseparatedforindependentstanza.Themainthemeofwork,friendshipwithdog,isexpressedhere.Understandingtheoneyouloveisanimportantpartofrelationships,evenifitseemsunusualtoyourownpointofview.Theauthorpersuadesalistenertocompletelysurrenderthedog’sreflexesandencouragethem.

　　“Hemightbetrainedtoswayfromposturingandpointing”…Inthispartthespeakerdescribesthesetter’sbehavior.Hemeansthatthedogmayaswellbeunderstandingandobedient.He(thesetter)canbecomeagoodfriendandmaybetrainedtoexecutealargenumberofcommands.Intheselinestheauthorimpliesthatunderstandingtowardssomebodycomesbacktouswithmutualunderstanding,evendeeperone.

　　Thenextlines,however,contrasttheprevious:…“butdon’tdemandprostrationoftheface”.Heretheauthoroutlinesthattherearesomecertainthingswemustnotdemandfromothersastheyareimpossibletodo.Thus,eventhecleverestandmostfaithfuldogwouldnotactagainstitsprinciples.Inthispoemsuchprincipleofthedogishispride.Heistooproudtobetrainedtodeliberatelyshowemotionsonaface.Thisideacontinuesinthenextlines:“Ahigh-heldmaskofpridehelpshimbecomeyourchampion”.Nomatterwhat,thesetteralwayslooksnoble,andalsoproudofbeingtheperson’sbestfriend.Hetrieshisbesttobethefirstforhismasterineverythinghedoestobehischampion.

　　“Don’tjustpathishead–strokethegoldenappleofhisthroat”.Withotherwords,donotevermakeanycasualandnegligentactstoyourdogthatweusuallydoautomatically.Thedog-keepershouldshowhisemotionsandfeelingstowardshissetter.Hemustputhistendernessandadmirationtohisfriendineverysingledetail.Evenpattingthedog’sheadshouldbecomeanexpressionoffeelingsworththesetter.

　　“Onbalmyeveningwalks,don’thurry”.Theauthorofferstoturnroutineeveningwalkswiththesettertoawonderfultripoftwodearestfriends,thehumanandthedog.“Lethimnosethehoneyedair”.Ifyouloveandrespectyourdog,youwillallowhimtoenjoythesesmalldetailsthatpeopleusuallydonotnotice.Wedonotpayattentiontothesmellofsweeteveningair,thefreshnessofgrass,thebeautyofnature.Dogsdo.Thesetter’smastermusttrytodoeverythingthedogdoeshimself,especiallyduringtheseeveningjourneys.“Maybetakeatumbleinitwithhim”.Thedogwillcertainlyappreciateifhismasterjoinshim,playswithhim,divesinthegrass,andenjoysthefreshair.Peopleshouldtryitiftheyreallysincerelylovetheirdogs.

　　“Whenhecomestoyoursweetcall,rememberyouaren’ttheonlycreaturesinging”.Thisstanzacontinuesdescribingdogs’behavior.Ofnodoubtthemasteristhedearestcreatureforthedog.Ofcoursethemaster’svoiceisthesweetestforhimandsoundslikesinging.However,peoplemustnevergetconceitedaboutit.Alwayskeepinmindthatyoushouldbehaveunpretentioustowardsyourdog.Bemodestandnevertooproud.

　　“Applaudtheconcentration”.Encourageyoursetter’sattemptstobefocusedonimportantprimarily.Thedogconcentratesonhismasterfirstofall,andhumansshoul