I like my dog more than I like most people. It sounds cheesy, but dogs offer us unconditional love and are always there to cheer us up. I recently watched the movie A Dog’s Purpose and of course, it made me think about my relationship with my dog Ginger.

It's true that dogs are as intelligent as two year olds. So, they don't know a whole lot. Here's a list of things that I wish I could tell my dog Ginger.

1. I wish you could talk

I wonder what you’re thinking everyday. I know you understand me when I say your name, but I wonder if you know what other words mean. It’s hard to distinguish the “I want to play” bark with the “I have to go out” bark. Honestly, I just wish I could understand what you say to me, and you could understand what I say to you.

2. I love it when you scratch on my door

I don’t appreciate being woken up at 8 on a Saturday morning by your whimpering, and your paws gently scratching my door. But, I’ve grown to enjoy rolling out of bed half asleep to open the door for you. It means you’ll jump onto my bed and roll around before I can get back under the covers. It’s adorable.

3. I know it tastes good, but it will make you sick

If anyone in the family is eating, you’re always conveniently located right next to their chair. When I’m making food you sit by be, whimpering and wagging your tail. If there is food on the counter, you get up on your hind legs to try and reach it. You’re successful sometimes, but you should know that if I don’t give you food, it’s not because I don’t love you, it’s because I don’t want you to get sick. Especially when it comes to chocolate.

4. I wish you could run free

Dogs are domesticated animals, and having a loving home is necessary for them to be healthy. But, sometimes I wish you could run free. It’s not that I want you to run away and never come back, I just want you to be able to run around in the backyard without a leash, and not be scolded for it. I wish you could leave the confines of your home and your neighborhood more often than you do.

5. Thunder isn’t as scary as you think

You’ve always been terrified of thunder. Whenever it starts raining everyone in the house scrambles to find your 'Thundershirt.' Despite all the comfort you receive from your family members and the Thundershirt, you still cry and shake until the storm passes. Sometimes you even cuddle up next to the toilet for comfort! I wish you knew that thunder is normal, and it’s not going to hurt you.

6. The grass is definitely not as good as it looks

I really don’t know why you enjoy eating grass as much as you do. I’ve never eaten grass before, but I can assure you that any dog food you eat will probably taste a thousand times better.

7. I see the squirrel too

It’s just a squirrel, it’s just a deer, it’s just a chipmunk. I’m sorry but they don’t want to play with you as much as you want to play with them. So when they scurry away as you consistently bark at them, don’t take it personally.

8. You always cheer me up

Whenever I’m feeling down, I know you will always be there for me. You can sense my emotions without even asking. When I come down into the kitchen to see your wagging tail, it makes my day. When I sit down and you immediately jump into my lap, it makes me the happiest person in the world. Every little loving gesture you make, can completely change my mood. So, thank you.

9. You’re not the best at fetch

Because you are part Golden Retriever, I expect a little more from you. Part of playing fetch is fetching the ball and giving it back. The giving it back part is what you need to improve on. When I try and take the ball from you, it has not changed into a game of tag. Sometimes you just don’t want to let go of the ball.

10. Sometimes you can be bad

Let’s face it, no dogs are perfect, and this means you too, Ginger. For some reason every time a door is left open in the house, you just love going through the garbage and ripping up all the tissues. You are caught in the act a lot, but you just run away as if no one sees you. You know you’re not supposed to be doing it, but you do it anyway.

11. I’ll be back soon

I went from seeing you basically everyday, to only seeing you when I come home for breaks. I say goodbye to you, but it’s hard for you to understand that it’s not a goodbye it’s a see you later. I wish I could tell you that I’m coming back soon, and even if it won’t be that soon, I’m sorry.

12. Can you live forever?

I always wonder why dogs have such short life spans. Your average life expectancy is 12 years, but those years fly by. I’ve dealt with loss, but I know losing you is going to be one hundred times harder to deal with than any other loss I have experienced. I really don’t want that day to come, ever. You’re too loving and playful to not live forever.