Life With Dogs Is Better
Start writing a post
Relationships

Life With Dogs Is Better

What did we do to deserve dogs?

39
Life With Dogs Is Better
Krystal Black

Growing up, I can't seem to remember a time where I came home and didn't have my four-legged friend meet me at the door. As soon as we drove up I swear I could hear my boxer-terrier and beagle-basset hound rescues barrel through the house, barking and howling so that we would know much they missed us while we were gone for soooo long. I don't know what it is, but there is just something about a long day, bad day, or even a good day that is made 10 times better just by seeing and feeling the love that your dog radiates towards you after not seeing you for over 10 minutes. The slobbery kisses, shrieks of excitement, and jumping on you that follow the initial open of the door can make all your worries wash away like they never happened. This is what it's like to own a dog.

Good times, bad times, times when your dog needs to go to the bathroom at 2 AM and it's a blizzard outside, times when they get into the trash, times when they chew up your favorite shoes (or any other worldly possession you might have cared about), and everything else that may drive you crazy about them; they're always there for you. They love you unconditionally because that's what they were put on Earth to do. Their bad habits are the bad habits you created, like the whining for food at the table because you can't help but slip them a piece of chicken off of your plate.

I don't know what we did to deserve the soft licks when tears roll down your face, or the picture-perfect poses that we can't help but snap a couple hundred photos of to show the world. Somehow we were and are lucky enough to watch these kind-hearted, all loving, so annoying (in the best way) dogs grow up and old right before our eyes. That is what's so hard. How can something this good only last for 10-11 years (a little bit more if you're one of the lucky ones)? These animals are with us for some of the most important times of our lives: going to college, getting married, having babies, experiencing loss, and so much more. They are for you and with you when nobody else is, so why can't they be around for longer?

I found myself asking this when one of my best pals was having some bad health problems last week.

Let me start with this: my black, beagle-basset hound, Gus, whined incessantly for EVERYTHING; food, to go to the bathroom, for attention, so that you would sneak him more food, for treats, for a pat on the head, to get on the bed, and so much more. There was a such a love-hate relationship about it because I swear sometimes he would just whine to be a part of the conversation that was going on. I won't lie, it could get pretty annoying when you didn't know what he wanted.

He also had a tail like no other that was a little bit bent at the the end and it NEVER stopped wagging. If he was in another room and I wondered where he was, I swear he had a 6th sense because all of a sudden I would hear the banging of his tail on the floor, or on the coffee table. That tail was like a weapon, the happier he got the faster it went back and forth potentially bruising you. Aside from his tail that could always give you a good laugh, he had these big, brown eyes that made me melt into a puddle and are most likely why he got a treat even when he wasn't whining.

Gus really never failed to make me smile. He was the one wide awake, laying in my bed, ready to cuddle when I got home late at night. He was the one that wouldn't let me get away with a "midnight snack" unless he got something too. He was the one that knew no personal space and was always trying to get closer to me, and he would even nuzzle the door open when I went to the bathroom just to sit with me. He was the one I would talk to in my room when there was no one there to listen. I could always count on him to make me feel better on the crappiest of days. He was an all around goofy dog that knew love better than any person I have ever meet.

Saying my final goodbye to him last week was one of the single, hardest things that I have ever done. The whole time I hugged him he looked at me like he knew what was going on, yet he was calmer than ever, putting his head in my lap, radiating the strongest sense of peace I have ever felt with him.

It's hard to open the door and know that he won't be there, and the bed is a lot bigger and lonelier than I ever remember it being. It's hard to know that we made the right choice because no animal that gives you complete joy and love for years on end deserves to suffer. It's hard to comprehend that an animal can take up just as much room in your heart as a person, and some non-animal lovers may not agree or ever understand.

I think that it's okay to be sad even if people think "it's just a dog". They are a huge part of your growing as a person and they help guide you through some of the toughest times in your life. They don't care what you look like, how much money you have, how many friends you have, or anything else. They want you and your love and nothing more but to give you the love you deserve. It's important to focus on all the good times and memories they gave you that will last a lifetime.

I don't know what we did to deserve dogs, but somehow we got lucky enough to have them in our lives.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

10878
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

942673
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

120434
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments