About This Item

This object is much more than just any old object. This object wags his tail, licks strangers, and goes for walks! That is because this object is Malachi the Dog! Malachi is a brown and black two-year-old dog who is assumed to be a Boston terrier/beagle mix. Krista Bozacki adopted Malachi in December of 2017 from a local Bloomington pet shelter. The secondary source, “Stress Goes to the Dogs,” makes a connection to the object through the ties of canine companionship and social psychology. As Malachi is clearly a great companion and surprisingly an even better psychological motivator. Even some of the most knowledgeable dog owners might be surprised to find out that “…the presence of a canine comrade acts as a natural sedative for its human master, lowering blood pressure and other bodily responses to stress…”

Relation to Hoosier Identity

In ties between the secondary source, Malachi the Dog, and the primary source, I found a connection between the development of both man and dog. While it is true that dogs have always held the title of “man’s best friend,” they certainly do offer more in areas other than companionship. In a collaborative working sense, the herding dogs of yesterday have now expanded into the drug-sniffing, aid providing, working dogs of today. While Malachi is not exactly a working dog per se, he is always working to make humans around him smile. The benefits of Malachi are seemingly endless. Is it fair to call him an excercise machine? The answer is up for debate. However, Malachi has certainly made a positive long term impact on Krista’s physcial levels. Which brings up an interesting chain of events. Because Malachi is an active dog, Krista is active as a result. Because Krista is more active, she has been more social due to trips to the dog park. Malachi’s role as a dog is multifunctional. He unintentionally led Krista to find a group of dog lovers within the Bloomington community.

From the Contributor

Malachi the Dog is symbolic of many transitions in the owner’s life. The first being a physical move. Malachi was adopted the day after Krista moved into her new apartment. This, in turn, morphed into a transition within itself as Malachi prompted Krista to be more active, social, and helped her find a new place within the Bloomington community.