As I prepare to wrap up for the day, I think about all that I have at home waiting for me. I have a house full of love. I am surrounded by caring human beings. I am not at all lacking for human interaction. I will say that for all I have, one of the most enjoyable parts of the day is walking through the front door of my house. I am greeted by my little fur baby that treats me like she has not seen me in years. It does not matter if I am gone for five minutes or gone for days she is always happy to see me. She is approximately 17 years old and has some trouble getting around sometimes but she always makes her way to wherever I am just to let me know she missed me. Unconditional love and eager to please me, pretty much sums it up.
Most everyone can relate to being a dog owner at one time or another. They are acquired various ways. You can find one at the animal shelter, have one given to you by friends, buy one from an individual or the ever popular adopt one when one of your children leaves it behind for one reason or another. Mine was the latter. My daughter did not have a place for her in the apartment when she moved because of apartment rules so I inherited her. This dog has been my shadow for the last 10 years. Wherever I am, you will find her there. If I am taking a shower she will patiently wait for me, sitting anxiously on the bathroom floor. She has her tail, just a wagging away. Her mission in life is to please me.
This is pretty heavy but along with all of that affection there is a lot of responsibility. You see the dog did not choose me, I chose it. She had no say in where she would wind up. It’s my job to shelter, feed, clean, and clean up after this little 5 pound pooping machine. In return for my caring for the dog, (she may not verbally say it but she appreciates it) I get a companion for the duration of her life. I get an extension of my family. I get a protector and someone who lets me know when things aren’t right. I get someone to laugh with or at depending how you look at it. I will say that I believe dogs know how to love. Maybe it’s in a way they know how and we don’t fully understand the extent of it but I honestly believe that they do. I don’t know how else to explain the running to the door when I get home. I don’t know how to explain the way her eyes light up when she sees me. I know that she knows I feed her, its way deeper than that, or at least I imagine it is.
I was raised around dogs. It seems we always had a dog or two around our house. I learned to respect a dog’s space and how to approach and not show fear. I learned what breeds I personally like and fit my lifestyle and which breeds are not for me. You can choose an active dog or one with a little more laid back lifestyle. My 5 Lb. Chihuahua fits me perfectly, not so much everyone else. I was not aware that they were single owner dogs. That means if you are around no one else matters. That is the way they are wired they can’t help it. When she was younger she was a bit more playful and active. She has slowed down a bunch, that’s okay so have I. She is getting a lot of gray and I know that she will not be around forever. I just want to give her a life she never asked for. I want to give her a life full of love and happiness. I know that there are few things in life like the love you get from your dog.
--
No comments:
Post a Comment