Since moving out on my own a few years ago, I realized my dwelling wasn't a home. It didn't take me long to realize what was missing. Eight months later, and after hours of searching, we threw in the towel and adopted a five pound "Dachshund/Fox Terrier mix. He was the cutest little furry mess our eyes had laid eyes on. We named him Harvey. He had a rough start to life and wasn't very trusting of humans. He had serious abandonment issues. We showered him with love and tried to look past his lack of potty training (oh puppies!) and constant finger, leg, and arm biting (thanks teething). Today, Harvey is an extremely active, healthy, happy, thirty pound dog. He is the smartest dog I have ever met and he loves us with every wiggly bone in his body.
Last weekend I went to the Dogtoberfest with my mom and fiance. This used to be a yearly tradition for us before life got a little too crazy. It's basically events, booths, and dogs. Lots of dogs. The weather was perfect. I think what I love the most is the number of people who care about dogs as much as I do, just right here in my little part of the world. Everyone had a different breed, each with its own personality. I wish I could hear everyone's story. Where did their dog come from and what was the moment when they knew that was the dog for them?
Dogs are family members. Homes without them are quieter and definitely much cleaner but are missing the love that only a dog can provide.
Enough of me sounding like a crazy dog lady, here are Seven Reasons that I LOVE Dogs:
7. Eager to Please. Were you reading earlier? My 20 lb. terrier let me use her as a sled dog. Enough said. (Disclaimer: No terriers were harmed while training for the Iditarod).
6. Friends Forever. You may leave your dog (not by choice) for an undisclosed amount of time. They won't be mad that you didn't call. All they care about is that you made it back safely.
5. They will eat whatever you give them. You don't have to worry about getting creative here, just toss some kibble into their bowl and they will happily devour it. That's not to say they won't droll over your chicken.
4. They will always lend an ear and never criticize your decisions. Sometimes all you want is someone to hear you out without making any judgment.
3. They don't mind when you have bad days. They will probably even offer to cheer you up. How can you be down when there's a dog around (no rhyme intended)?
2. Snuggling is what they do best. Sometimes they don't realize how large they are. Harvey, if you're reading this, please stop using my shoulder as a perch.
1. They are always, always thrilled to see you. When was the last time you saw a human who was that excited to see you? Never. Harvey takes on the form of another creature anytime one of us comes home. He gets a case of the uncontrollable wiggles and his tail flops around so fast, it has literally cleared our coffee table.
If you are reading this and haven't owned a dog, you are truly missing out.
