One thing I look forward to most each time that I come home from college (other than seeing my family and friends) is seeing my dog.

I have an adorable black standard poodle named Zeke. He has so much personality and brings an abundance of love and comfort to my family.

Surprisingly, Zeke was a silent auction item. My parents went to a gala benefiting a nonprofit organization and at the gala was a silent auction. Zee, probably named something else at the time, was one of the "items" up for sale. There was loud music and dancing at the gala, but Zeke just laid peacefully on the floor. When ,y mom went over to him, he instantly jumped up and rested his head on her leg. She looked to my dad who put down a bid for him and they won!

That night, my parents came home and my mom walked in the door to greet my brother and me in the living room. She told us that there was something for us outside. When we walked out the door there was a large black poodle with a big red bow around his neck! We were in shock and not totally sure if my parents were serious, because we had talked about getting a dog for a long time.

I wish he could tell me about his life before he joined my family.

When we first got Zeke, he was very jumpy. We weren't sure if he had ever been outside because he got scared each time the wind blew leaves around or his shadow appeared on the driveway.

I have always wondered what the first few months of his life were like. I would love to know where he was and how they treated him. The night my parents brought him home his hair was very shaggy and matted, as if no one groomed him or cared about him. I'd be interested to hear what he has to say about that period of his life.

There are so many times that I have looked at Zeke and wondered what he was thinking.

For example, I'd love to know what is running through his mind when he digs in the couch to "hide" his bone and uses his nose to try and cover it up while my family watches, laughing because the bone is obviously just sitting on the couch.

He also has the most adorable head tilt whenever he hears a weird noise. I've assumed it means that he was confused, but I won't truly ever know unless he magically learns to speak.

I wish Zeke could tell me what he thinks about when we're gone.

Can dogs think? Do they have a little voice in their head? I don't know because I don't have any personal experience, but I would assume so...maybe they do? They are capable of so many things, including leading blind humans safely around busy cities, so they have to have some sort of capability to think at a higher level.

But...dogs have no sense of time.

I have always wondered how long it felt like my family was gone and if it all feels like the same amount of time, even when we go on vacation for a long time. I wonder if that feels like weeks or if it feels like we have just gone to the grocery store. Whenever we get home, no matter where we are coming from, he always greets us at the door, wagging his tail, so I have to wonder.

When we first met Zeke, we had no idea what a positive impact he would make on our lives, but I wonder what kind of impact we have made on him.

If only he could talk.