Everybody has those friends or family members that leave their mark on their life. For me, that was my dog. He gave me the ability to feel more loved than I ever thought was possible and I will love him forever for it.

1) He was someone I could cry to because sometimes you just have to cry it all out.

We all have those times that we just need to cry. Sometimes people are hard to cry to because they either want to help way too much or not at all. Some people get upset that you are upset and they try to make you stop crying. Others will avoid giving you a hug or asking what is wrong because they don’t do well with confrontation (which isn’t a bad thing). Dogs just sit with you and let you cry with the ability to feel like you aren’t alone.

2) He always had a way of knowing when I was upset.

I don’t know about anyone else, but when I walked into my house after a bad day my dog would come running to me as if to say “Who am I going to hunt down today?” Even when I would try to hide being upset from everyone it seemed to be that my dog knew when to try to cheer me up and go grab a toy and give me kisses.

3) He was the best at cuddling.

There were days we need to just have a cuddle session. They just help the mind heal and feel loved. My dog was always able to cuddle up right next to me in the most perfect position so that I was comfy and warm.

4) He was more than a dog, he was like my younger brother.

My dog is in almost any picture I took while at home. He is even in my senior pictures. Pictures are just incomplete without the family and he was always there for them. He acted like a younger brother on many occasions. Rummaging through my trash and barking at the wind, even he could get on my nerves sometimes.

5) Even though I know he couldn’t understand everything, he was the best listener I ever knew.

We all have those things that we only tell certain people. For me, my dog was who I would tell everything I was either too afraid or worried to tell anybody about. When I was younger and being bullied I didn’t want to bother anybody with my problems so I hid my problems away. I don’t like to complain when so many people are going through so much worse. Although it may sound crazy, my dog was there for me to vent to. I could just blow my top off and not have to worry about who he would tell.

Even though I lost my dog I know that my memories with him are more than I could ever ask for. I like to say my dog was my best friend and that he saved me. He was the best friend, brother, and dog that any teenage girl could imagine.