My dog, just laying on the cold kitchen floor while I was preparing dinner. These pictures are not professional, they're nothing special to really look at, a normal part of my every-day, in fact. But to me they are a story of a place I never thought I would be, a love I didn't think I'd ever experience again.
I absolutely love this. He was really listening to her story.
We didn't go with this for the "family card" picture, but I'm saving it anyway.
Our dogs are a part of our every day life... always there, even when the focus isn't on them just waiting for extra love or attention. And the moment we give it to them, they aren't holding a grudge because of how long it's been since we've thrown their toys or scratched their ears or given them kisses. They are simply happy to love and be loved in return.
For some reason I've been thinking a lot about my family and friend's relationships with their dogs, my relationship with my dogs now as well as my first dog, who I lost 3 years ago this upcoming week. I guess that's probably why it's been on my mind. Bandit was my first "Puppy" love. And he was everything you'd ever need, want or imagine your childhood dog to be. Even when I was a teenager driving my first car, he was in the front seat sticking his head out the window. He was in my senior pictures. We went for walks and played in the creek and I taught him some pretty amazing tricks, if I do say so myself. I still miss him all the time, and I was haunted for a long while after I lost him. I didn't think I would ever be able to love another animal the same way. I was there when it happened, he died in my arms. It was graphic and probably one of the saddest things I've ever experienced. I would say it makes me lucky, because others have experienced far worse tragedies and losses. None-the-less, he was my dog and I loved him, and it was a horrible loss for our family. Even after I moved out, he was "my" dog. I think almost everyone who's had animals understands that feeling.
We grew up together. :)
After we lost him, I didn't think I could ever love an animal like that. I couldn't possibly fathom letting another one get close to me knowing how short their lives are compared to ours and the nightmares and pain that come with losing them. Falling in love with another dog knowing I would experience that again seemed ridiculous. Why would I knowingly enter into something I knew would end in heartbreak? Hubbs and I had 2 dogs already, I wasn't really their person, I loved them, but we weren't connected. Jack was crazy and we had to give him to a home who could take care of him better than we were able to. He didn't like Emily and that wasn't a risk we were willing to take. Dakota has still never forgiven me for treating her like a human when we got her, taking her everywhere, leaving for 4 days and coming back with a screaming human who took up all of my time from then on out. She loves them too, don't get me wrong, but "we" (Dakota and I) were never the same afterwards. She became hubby's pup.
And then in May of 2010, my husband brought home the most enormous Jack Russell I'd ever seen. He'd been through multiple military families and had been passed around the entire first 15 months of his life. He's a pedigree... we have a family tree that goes back 9 generations. According to the receipt that came with his paperwork, they paid $900 for him. I was NOT okay with him moving in, but hubby insisted that he was a sweet dog and was worried what would happen to him if someone didn't take him in because there was a time frame and it was coming down to the wire. I'd love to say we connected instantly and walked off into a doggy park sunset... but, that's not the case. J got a call shortly afterwards that he'd be heading off to TX for a year or more for work and I would be staying behind with two small kids and THREE jack russell terriers. He had a few accidents on the floor... which were enormous because he's a big little dog. Then we learned he is QUITE the hunter. Of course I learned what a wonderful baby bird and squirrel hunter he was while my husband was nearly 700 miles away. Not our finest moments and I'd be lying if I didn't call shouting something like "Must.Go.Now." and possibly something that involved an animal shelther. But somewhere in that 18 months, we got through it and I let him in. He's sweet and tolerant and gentle (except when he's stepping over my rib cage in the middle of the night so he can lay horizontal across the bed). The kids can climb all over him and he doesn't even let on that he's irritated. We have company over and he's not jumping all over everyone... just lays down and minds his business. He is THE perfect dog.
The thought of losing him someday is devastating, but when he's snuggling me after a long day, when he's laying on the floor in my kitchen just because I'm in there or letting my kids chase him around the yard with his chew toys... it's worth it. We have them for such a short time and we are their everything. (Obviously, this is true of children first and foremost). I can't even wrap my mind around how they could be as loving, forgiving and affectionate as they are... we can be the center of their world even if they are not the center of ours. That is the meaning of complete, total, unquestionable love.
People could learn a lot from their animals. I certainly could take a few chapters out of Macky boy's book. I am so thankful for him... and I am so thankful for the lessons my kids will learn by growing up with our pups. Dogs are people too. :)
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