Since that is really all the updating I have to do, I have decided to make this post about someone very near and dear to me. I am going to write about my best friend- the one I see every day, the one I go on daily walks with, the one who is always beside herself to see me, the one who always lets me know exactly how she feels and who, in turn, lets me tell her exactly how I feel with absolutely no criticism or judgment, blatant or otherwise. She is never petty, never holds grudges, never offers unwelcome or unsolicited advice and doesn't let anything bother her for too long. She is extremely forgiving. I mean maybe she doesn't always understand exactly what I’m saying, but she always looks like she does.
Perhaps I should say man's best friend, as opposed to my best friend- because that is really what she represents; mankind's best animal friend, for thousands of years. Why yes, yes I am talking about a
dog.
There is a wide range of reaction
from those who do not understand the relationship between canines and humans
when they see you walking your little dog, or taking pictures with her, or
talking about her. They think, it’s just a dog.
There are people who don’t understand “dog people” and think loving your pet
is, well, silly. You can’t be friends with a dog- an animal. Dogs don’t care
about you- they just want food!
Well, sure, dogs want food, don’t
we all? But they are also amazing in their ability to give and receive love, to be there for you when you are sick
or upset, to show emotion- happiness, sadness, playfulness, nervousness, anger.
Homo sapiens are great and all- I
mean, who doesn't love a good chat with a friend? A hug after a long time not
seeing someone? Laughing over a shared joke?- but sometimes that one on one
time with your favorite furry friend is just what you need to make you feel
better. When something is bothering you that you just can’t articulate- or you
don’t have the energy to articulate- she is there with her puppy dog eyes.
She’s willing to cuddle, to walk, to play, to snack….whatever you need. She
won't let you be lonely.
Some people think dogs are
selfish, but when you really spend time with a dog you begin to realize they
are actually less selfish than most humans. They are almost always interested in
what you are doing (food or no food!) and are willing to do whatever it is you
are up for. Feel like sitting on the couch watching TV? Heck yeah, I can
get into that. Want to romp around outside in the snow? Sure. Squeak the toy?
Love doing that. I will also watch you getting ready for work, making dinner,
and will check out what is in all those bags you brought home from the
store…oooh a new scarf, I like it. Can I chew it?
Dogs are actually the ultimate empathetic creatures. They have evolved alongside humans for long enough to know-
even if they don’t understand our words- how we feel. There are a ton of
studies on this. It has even been said that dogs might be more empathetic than other humans. "Pets can be there for you in ways that people can't."
Many do not understand the wide range of benefits pets can bestow on their owners. Having pets is good for us!
Not only can dogs detect illness- from cancer to seizures to a diabetic’s drop
in blood sugar- our bodies can be physically healthier when we spend time with
our pooches. Their presence can help lower our blood pressure and increase our chances of survival after a heart attack. Pets have also been proven to reduce stress, depression and loneliness, even for those living in retirement homes or those with AIDS.
This article does a good job discussing the benefits pets have on our emotional well-being: “While we all know the power of
talking about your problems with a good friend who’s also a good listener,
recent research shows that spending time with a pet may be even better! Recent
research shows that, when conducting a task that’s stressful, people actually
experienced less stress when their pets were with them than when a supportive
friend or even their spouse was present! (This may be partially due to the fact
that pets don’t judge us; they just love us.)”
Of course, my reasons for why I
love Ripley and enjoy spending time with her are not based in scientific proof
that dogs feel empathy or that she might let me know when I’m sick. Just like
people, pets have their own distinct personality, and I like hers.
Sure, she has her faults, just
like any of us. She doesn't get along well with other dogs and she can be
strangely neurotic at times. But her passion for walks and her facial
expression when she jumps on me to get up in the morning makes up for it.
What’s better than having a
happy, furry, excited alarm clock? It’s much easier to get up when you see that
face every morning. Plus there is no snooze button on her. And it is always great to come home to squeals of delight.
She is great with other people and loves being around them. She likes to dig
holes and chase other critters. She loves watching TV. She likes to play fetch
but she is particularly fond of squeaking her toy. And she absolutely adores
playing with Mr. Kitty.
Sometimes she loses her temper.
Every once in a while she will get in bad mood. She hates having her tail
touched. She likes to look out the window. And look at her when she was a puppy!
My family dog growing up, Holly,
also had a great personality- one of the best. She loved to play and hang out
at the river. She could be super cranky when you tried to take something from
her but she also loved to run and was a fantastic cuddle buddy. She never
minded being held. She loved sweet tea and cigarettes and her favorite toys
were always the fuzzy ones. She loved going for rides in the car and sitting on
your homework.
Holly’s buddy Tybalt was an
interesting little dog with a past that made him stressed out, but he loved my
mom more than anything and always wanted to be near here. He liked to play by
jumping at your hands and if you snarled at him he would snarl back. He liked
sitting in your lap and he loved his girls- Holly and Ripley. He was a ladies' man!
Dominic and I had a dog, Zen,
(now a happy boy named Tucker living with my aunt and uncle) who was the
happiest fellow you would ever know. He loved running around the yard and
breaking the fence to run through the neighborhood. He liked chewing on his bed
and playing with Ripley. Passing out on the floor after a hard day of play was
the best! He liked to play bite but was always gentle when he did it
and he always just looked super happy.
They all have their own
personalities, and if you find one that meshes well with yours, then you are in
for an amazing friendship- they will be the best friend you have ever had, all day, every day, for as long as they are around.
Mr. Kitty says "Excuse me...what about cats?"
Kitties are good for you, too ;)
No comments:
Post a Comment