To the best pal I have ever had,

Hey puppy, I know you're an old, white-faced lady now, but you will always be that fat little bundle of golden fluff I picked out from a sea of 12 puppies at a mere eight years old to me. You grew up with me and now we're both old and falling apart. I fear every day I am away at college that my parents will call and tell me you're gone. When I come home, you are the one I am the most excited to see, because you have given me the definition of unconditional love all throughout my life in a way no human possibly can. You don't have a mean bone in your body (except when other dogs come on our property). You are the treasure of my life, the apple of my eye, and the reason I know there is good in the world.

I'm leaving from Thanksgiving break today to go back to college and I just want you to know I'm going to miss you so much. It makes me so happy when I come home and you slowly but surely wag your tail over to me because you're too old and tired to jump around anymore. I wish I could just take you to college with me,but I know my parents would die before they'd give you up to me.

You've always been there for me through everything. I truly think I would never have loved dogs again had it not been for you. Before we got you, we had a different dog for a short time and she bit me. Really bit me. It was the summer after first grade and I went to pet her while she was chewing on one of those pig ears you get from the butcher and she completely ripped half of my face open basically. I fell to the ground in the tornado position they taught us in school, covering my eyes with my hands. I screamed and screamed and when I finally got up to show my mom what happened, there was blood covering every inch of my arms from fingertips to elbows. It was so scary. I remember it twelve years later as if it just happened. We put that dog down and got you a few months later, and I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am for you and your unceasing gentleness over the years.

You might have crooked teeth, bow legs, and be overweight, but those are the things I love about you. You may not have ever won a dog show or anything, but you're always there to eat chips and lay around with me, and I think that's what counts. Even when I'm in the midst of the most stressful day, coming home and giving you a hug and watching you beg for belly scratches puts everything back into perspective. There is nothing that makes you feel more grounded than loving a dog.

I know you won't live forever, but I really wish you could. I think you're doing pretty well for your age, especially considering your diet, but I can't even imagine ever coming home without you there. You've been my best pal for over half of my life. I will always cherish all the times I've taken you to the dog Halloween parties at the dog park, all the trips to the lake in the summer, taking you on car rides to get hot dogs and ice cream, and all the summers we've spent laying by the pool together and racing each other to the pool stairs. I'll always remember how you begrudgingly let me dress you up and how much you love hanging out watching football with all the guys. You're the biggest party dog I've ever met. I love watching you run around the yard in a burst of energy, roll around in the grass, and play in the snow. You keep me young, even when you're technically older than me.

I hope I get to make many more memories with you, because I know you're going to run out of steam sooner rather than later, unfortunately. I just want you to know how much I appreciate you being in my life and I will always remember every moment I've ever had with you as some of the happiest of my lifetime. I wish I could take you back to school with me, but I'll see you in a few weeks for the holiday break. I'll give you lots of hugs before I leave today, I promise. Thanks for being the best dog a girl could ask for, Maddie. I love you more than you love nachos and football.

Love,

Your Person