Why Owning A Pet Means More Than Just Taking Cute Photos
It was in 2009 when my eldest sister decided to get a puppy. Since she told me that the pup was her graduation gift to me, I got to name him. I was obsessed with the movie “I Am Legend” at that time, so I named him after the dog in that film — Sam. Now, if you’ve seen how I treat our pet, you probably wouldn’t have guessed that I didn’t like him at first. Yes, you read that right, I didn’t know what to do with him in the beginning. But, it didn’t take long for him to change that. With his playful antics, Sammy (as how I endearingly call him nowadays) quickly earned a space inside my stone-cold heart.
Then in 2010, my dad decided to get another puppy for Sammy to play with. I named the second dog after my all-time favorite basketball player, Kobe, only we changed its spelling to Cobee, so it’ll appear cuter.
You know how one pup almost always means trouble? Imagine having two of them! Man, I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I wished they could understand me whenever I told them to sit still or to not do whatever it was they’re doing. But with their round eyes, pleading cries and cute little snouts, my cold demeanor began to thaw. And despite their tendencies to become unruly, I can never deny that I love them dearly.
I began to stop minding their inclination to chew on almost every single thing that they can chew on. I started the habit of sharing even my favorite food to them! We share almost everything now. And, to top it all off, it’s true that my photo gallery consists of more pictures of them than my own.
But, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. No. It doesn’t even come close to sunshine! In fact, to tell you frankly, having a pet means hardships. And it’s not for reasons you’re probably coming up with at the moment. If you were to ask any pet-owner what’s the most difficult thing about it, I can guarantee you that it isn’t about the chores or the sacrifices they make for them.
More often than not, the owners will even do anything for their pets, so the “chores” aren’t really considered chores. The walks they have to take their pets to, the food they prepare everyday, the many moments they sacrifice looking like an idiot to try to get their pet’s attention; none of these things comes close to the answer they’d give to you. Because if you were to ask me that same question, I’ll tell you that the toughest thing about owning a pet is to imagine living a life without them.
It wasn’t until I had them that I understood what the saying “a dog is a man’s best friend” meant. They’ll be there for you through and through, when no one else is there for you. So, the thought, alone, of waking up one day without them makes my throat close up and my stomach churn. Because, believe me, when you’re one of the lucky ones who have a companion like this in your life, you would do whatever it takes to not lose them.
Featured image via Alex Centomo.
