If I was a comic book superhero, my sidekick would have to be my dog, Toffee.

My dog and I balance each other out. I call us a version of Batman and Robin or Green Arrow and Speedy, [if Robin and Speedy were four-legged creatures of course]. We understand each other like no one else can [for the most part].

A Fluffy Piece of the Family Pie

Every pet is considered part of the family, ‘a piece of the pie’. They build a strong bonding relationship with all or some of the family members. In my case, if anyone ask how I would describe myself, my dog is somewhat of an accurate description of me. My dog, a Yorkshire Terrier teacup named Toffee, is my nap buddy (or compadre). Regardless of day or time, if I fall asleep on my couch, there’s a likely chance that my furry friend will curl up beside me on a pillow and doze off as well. Our bond reaches beyond that, we happen to entertain each other. For my dog to accept a treat without hesitation, is unrealistic. Hesitation meaning that he likes to play the game of, ‘I want the treat, but I don’t want it.’ The game is based on me holding the treat right in front of his nose, convincing him to grab it, while he shakes his head and turns away from the treat with only a side glance to see if I’m still holding it. This game goes on until, he finally gives in and grabs it.

When it comes to other family members, Toffee is the ‘gardener’ when it comes to planting or pulling weeds with my mother. He is also the ‘perfectionist’, that I argue, he takes after my father. Both have a set of unwritten standards when it comes to sleeping on the couch: make sure the pillow is fluffed, and to take as many pillows as possible to cover the couch.

‘Pet’sonality of its Own

Don’t be fooled by your pet though, because each pet also has a personality of its own. I’d like to point out that not all the traits that my dog has, were because of my family members.

Some argue that, for instance, the type of dog breed might have an impact on its personality. Psychology Junkie describes that based on your “Myers-Briggs” (personality type) it can ‘match’ you up with a dog that fits your personality; yet this limits it to only a couple of breeds. Yet to a certain aspect, not all aspects of a breed can match your dog entirely, sometimes it’s the simple genetics of that dog that bring out its personality (or temperament)

According to Yorkie Info Center, Yorkshire Terriers are known for their “intelligence,” “courage,” “independence,” and “energy.” Although all these traits are true of my dog, he also possesses at least one trait that was passed down from his parents, his “trickster” personality. He’s not only clever, but has the tendency to lie about certain situations to get what he wants, such as wanting another treat, while hiding the other one.

We get each other, like no one else can

Regardless of what pet you have whether it is a dog or cat for that matter, their personality, in a way, fits within each other like a puzzle. Take for instance, my friends Samantha and Lauren. Sisters who own four cats yet each cat fits better with one than the other. Samantha argues that her orange cat, Twinkie, understands each other the best, “Twinkie and I get each other. I know when he’s mad and he knows he’s always welcomed on my bed.”

On the other hand, Lauren’s matching cat is her black cat, Demon. Her story is a fantastic example of a cat slowing becoming a piece of the family. Demon who “was vicious when we adopted him three years ago. I was almost certain that I could convince my parents to bring him back because everyone in our house was frightened by him.” She continues by saying, “It took a lot of time and care to make him feel comfortable in our home. He is now my best friend because he is the perfect mix of moody and kind. The kindness I showed him in his first months in our home he eventually learned and has reciprocated back to the family."

We might not all show our true selves when meeting new people or strangers, but it takes time to show our personality regardless if it’s a human or animal. From my view, it is visible that Twinkie who I see as rather a shy cat fits well with my friend Samantha, whereas Demon who is more of the outgoing type fits well with my friend Lauren.

As it goes to show our pets become our best friends because our personalities in a way rest well with each other’s. In the end, regardless of the breed with comes with the typical personality associated with that breed, the pet will slowly assimilate to you or vice versa.

No one will understand you better than your pet, they're the perfect sidekick.

(left picture, credit goes to Samantha Hiatt-Wilson, right picture, credit goes to Lauren Hiatt-Wilson)