It is never easy leaving the things you love, especially when those things are cute and chubby little balls of fur, teeth, and paws. Seriously. I love my dogs more than I love eating, so I never have any clue how I'm supposed to survive for weeks at a time without seeing my little four-pawed monsters running toward me from our front porch. In the weeks leading up to my college move-in, I'm going to try to soak up all of the puppy love I can hold and remember all of these things I know I'm going to miss about my two canine brothers.
1. Baseball Bats
Dad likes to say that "they don't have tails, they have baseball bats." You'd agree with him, too, if you heard the way those things sound when they smack into any hard surface. When our dogs are happy, it sounds like our walls are falling down. I've ever been happier to hear that sound, though.
2. Hair
I like hair. People tell me I have good hair. Well, my dogs have hair, too. LOTS of it. If you ever come into my house, your outfit will instantly pick up countless pieces of dog hair. It's magnetic, I swear. (I'm not sure how, exactly, but I think there is a rule written down somewhere in the "Book of all Books" that states: Clothing will always attract dog hair. Deal with it.
3. Cuddling
You can only ever understand the sheer power of dog cuddles once you've experienced them for yourselves. Luckily, I have a fully-grown Labrador Retriever and a puppy Labrador Retriever, so all of my cuddly needs are always met. Need a bear hug? BAM, BIG LAB CUDDLE. Need a soft embrace? BAM, BABY LAB CUDDLE. It's simple.
4. Chew Toys
Every night, I round up the host of rubber and rope chew toys dotted around the house and return them to their respective homes. Tripping over them gets old quickly, but they proved me with a world of comfort because their presence means I'm not the primary target for teeth-biting energy.
5. Bath Time
Normally, I don't like water unless I'm showering, swimming, or satisfying my thirst. There is an exception in my life, however, when it comes to bathing my dogs. When I pull out the turquoise kiddie pool, flip over a 10-gallon bucket, and get out the water hose, both of the dogs know what's up. The 30 minutes that ensues can be best described as a bright and bubbly rain shower, and I will miss it.
My world will never be complete without my dogs, but my mind will always be complete with the memories I have of them. I will hold onto them quite tightly as my next year at UK ensues, and I will make many more on my frequent trips home!
