Why having a dog is the greatest thing in the world…

As I lay awake at 2am and write this I look down at my 2 year old German Shepard/Brittany Spaniel mix whose chin is resting right above my chest keeping me warm, whose eyes are tired but looking at me with so much life, love and pure happiness, whose sleepy, tired sighs are muffled by the blanket on my chest, and I realize that he is not just my inspiration for writing this, but also my inspiration to wake up and face another day when life gets hard. My reason to smile when I just want to frown. My reason to leave a miserable day at work but to still walk in the door happy as his tail wags rapidly and he jumps up almost as if to hug give me a huge hug, halfway knocking me down the stairs.

You see a dog is more than just an animal, more than just a creature, a dog well a dog is a best friend, a family member, a child for those who could never bare children, a companion for those who spend lots of time alone.

They are so special, more so than any other animal (with the exception of maybe monkeys because they’re pretty cool and compassionate). They’re not like cats, who I’ve owned lots of and love (not knocking cats). They’re different. They love you differently, they understand you differently, they see you differently. That’s what’s so amazing about them.

The best part is how forgiving they are. I can have a bad day and yell at my dog for eating something he wasn’t supposed to and feel guilty about it for hours because “Maybe I was too harsh on him.” And minutes later he will be licking my face almost as if he’s saying “I’m sorry mommy for chewing your favorite pillow, please don’t be mad.”

But he’s never angry in return with me, and best of all he doesn’t hold grudges. If I forget to put food in his bowl in the morning at his usual time he’s not still angry with me at night. If he was ever even angry at all. He doesn’t yell at me or make me sad probably because he’s a dog. But if he had the ability to do so given the chance I don’t think that he would.

That’s what’s so amazing about dogs, at least mine anyway. He is so loving. So forgiving, so gentle, so kind.

I know that he has the potential with his sharp German Shepard K-9 teeth to rip my fucking face off if he wanted to when he’s angry or when I yell at him or tap him on the nose for being bad, but he doesn’t, even when he plays he is so gentle, when he eats, he is the kindest soul.

I don’t know what I’ll do when he’s gone, but my life will never be the same. It’s a day I dread.

Thank you Charger for loving me from the moment you met me, for making me laugh, and smile, for giving me a purpose that no other human ever could, for literally holding my hand with your paw randomly, for protecting me when it’s dark outside and someone gets too close on our walk, for the endless hugs and kisses, for sleeping preciously on me as I type this while you do your little puppy signs and snores and shortly your “wroof, wroof” sounds you have made in your sleep since you were a puppy. I don’t know what you dream about but I can only hope being your owner has made your dreams come true as much as they have made mine.

Love, Mom.