Hey Buddy,

I don’t know if I’ve told you this in a while, but in case I haven’t, you mean the world to me. You’re my best friend and always will be. No words that I have to offer can describe how great you are—which is why it always hurts me so bad to look back in the rear-view mirror to see you standing in the driveway watching me leave for school every August.

Believe me—I wanted to bring you, but I knew that you’d be happier at home. I know how much you love running around the yard and doing your job patrolling the house every night for bad people. You always get super excited when your dad gets home and love barking at the cats. It would not have been fair to steal you away and put you in this strange new world when you were so used to our home. It would be a world full of leashes, loud music and a lot of time spent alone. It would have been selfish of me to make you come with me. I like to think of myself as being a good parent to you. I’m very proud of how you’ve grown up, and to bring you here would have been mean. Though some dogs have parents that can take very good care of them in college, I wouldn’t be able to be one of them—so I left you at home.

Though everyone that knows you back at home knows how awesome and friendly you are, but not everyone here would feel the same about you. I know it sounds crazy, but there are some people that just don’t like dogs. (I know, hard to believe) Some people would be scared of you, and wouldn’t want to have you around. I know how much you don’t like feeling unappreciated—so I left you at home.

Between you and me, college can be a little weird sometimes. It’s a lot of work, and the only two people that are allowed in my room are myself and a girl that I—at the time that I moved in—knew nothing more of her than how photogenic she was because of the great pictures she posted to Facebook. My dorm room here is barely as big as my closet back home, and I know how much you don’t like it when you get stuck in there. Imagine if you had to be in there for hours at a time. With how much time I have to spend with work, extracurricular things, homework and classes, you’d spend most of your time all alone by yourself. I know much you hate that. I wouldn’t be able to play with you, and our walks would be pretty short. It wouldn’t be fair. I know that you’d be happier at home barking at the mailman and spending the majority of your time finding the best spot to soak up the sun in—so I left you at home.

I’ll be honest with you, though—it’s hard not having you to sleep with. It gets pretty lonely at night. Some days, all I have are pictures, and they don’t always do it for me. Nothing in this world would make me happier than to have you right by my side, tail wagging, as I try to figure out this life. Sure, I’ve got human friends that are pretty great, but as you know, they’re not nearly as good as enjoying life as you are. Humans like to make things complicated, and you’re much better at cuddling.

I’m sorry that I had to leave you, I did it to make a better life for the both of us. This involved me going somewhere where I couldn’t bring you. I know that it made you sad, but I also know that you are happier at home than you would be here. Thank you for always forgiving me and for making me feel so loved every chance I get to come home and see you.

Right now, I’m counting down the days to when I can leave my temporary home to come back to you and everyone else. It won’t be long until I’ll be sneaking you scraps under the table at dinner and we can curl up in our bed for nightly sessions of "Netflix and Cuddle." I know how you might think I’ll be gone forever, but pretty soon I’ll be home for a long time. I promise to make up for all of the treats I haven’t been able to give you while I’ve been gone, and we’ll double the time we spend in the car together—I know how much you like feeling the wind on your face as we drive to get your chicken nuggets from McDonald's. Thanks for always being my best friend. Our long distance relationship won’t be this way for much longer

Love,