For a majority of my life I have been surrounded by animals, however, I do remember the time when I didn’t have a furry best friend of my own. From creating imaginary pets to dragging a plastic toy dog around the house, It was obvious I wanted a dog. Mickey had Pluto, Josh had Buddy, Charlie had Snoopy, so why couldn’t Lauren have one?
After years of begging, I believe my persistence wore my parents down, and at last, I had my Buddy.
Even though I was only 5 at the time, I can vividly remember the day we got Buddy, our very first dog. It was a nice summer day, and my parents thought it would be fun to take us to the local mall. Of course, the first stop had to be the pet store, and it turned out to be our only stop. We were just going to see the puppies, not get one. But, there we found him in a little blue collar, a quiet, docile, sweet little Bichon.
My parents signed the paperwork while the got Buddy ready to come home. One the way, we found out he didn’t like car rides and suffered from car sickness. He was so little and very timid. Fast forward three days and this timid little fluff ball was jumping around and ready to play. He was the Buddy we loved until the day he died, and continue to love to this day.
Fast forward eight years to seventh grade, it was the last day of school before Christmas break, and I was lying on the couch with my Buddy by my side. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a little white cotton ball running around the family room. It was the best surprise ever! My mother had brought home another Bichon. From that moment on Baxter the amazing wonder dog (yes as in the movie Anchorman) has been my little teddy bear.
After Buddy passed away, there was a shift in our house. It was the first time I had really experienced losing an animal and Baxter lost his brother and playmate. After months of being sad, we finally came across the little oddball Tinker (another Bichon--what can I say, we love these little white dogs). The breeder was terminally ill and gave the litter to a woman who rescued animals. She told the woman to use any proceeds from the sales to run her rescue.
Tinker was the last pup out of this litter. We drove out to the farm on the west side of the state to meet him. It was love at first site. We brought him home, and he and Baxter became fast friends. We loved and cherished him. Little did we know he would never see the summer or even a year of life. He had an autoimmune disorder that was incurable and untreatable. It came out of nowhere. In those short seven months we learned that regardless of time, you can love something so much it hurts.
Distraught after losing Tinker, I was just happy to have Baxter. I couldn’t get another dog with having lost two in less than a year. A dark cloud hovered over our usually sunny home. All of us were in a funk that we just couldn’t shake. Occasionally my mother and I would look and Bichon puppies online, hoping there was another little pup that could help fill the void we were feeling.
Another playmate for Baxter who was clearly missing his brothers. But we were gun shy. We’d lost two beloved pets in such a short time, and we weren’t ready to put ourselves out there again, or so I thought. It wasn’t until I was asked to come“get the groceries out of the car” that I realized I needed another dog or two.
When I went to the car, to my surprise I came across two fluffy white cotton balls (yep-Bichons). That’s right not one, but two! Hunter and Bella, littermates, made my house feel like a home again.
Fast forward three years, and we have Baxter, Hunter, and Bella. Three of the sweetest, craziest, and cuddliest dogs you can find. And in a few months, I am going to be leaving them to begin my journey at Alabama. For the first time since I first got Buddy, I am going to be dogless. Unlike my family who I can facetime and text, I won’t be able to do that with them. For several months at a time, I am going to be without them, and it’s going hurt.
Dogs are so much more than a man’s best friend. To them, we are their whole lives. They love us unconditionally. They never hold a grudge, and they can sense when we need them most. Having dogs has made me realized that they love you even when you find it hard to love yourself.
From the time I move to Bama until Thanksgiving or Christmas break, I’ll be without my furry support staff. Knowing that I’ll see their ecstatic faces when I walk through the door will help make up for the time I’m away from them. Their love is immediate, constant, and endless.
If we could just learn that from them, life would be so much better.