It's Just a Dog
From time to time people tell me, "Lighten up, it's just a dog," or, "That's a lot of money for just a dog." They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent or the costs involved for "just a dog."

Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog."

Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog," but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by "just a dog," and, in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you will probably understand phrases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise."

"Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy.

"Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience that makes me a better person.

Because of "just a dog" I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.

So for me, and folks like me, it's not "just a dog" but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past and the pure joy of the moment.

"Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it's not "just a dog" but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being "just a human."

So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog." just smile....because they "just don't understand."

- Anonymous



That goofy dog at the top of the page is Ink, a Labrador mix mutt that my son brought home from a farm. This moppet to the left is our Lhasa Apso, Cookie Bear, that I bought after my Pekingese had to be put to sleep due to poor health . My husband grew up on a dairy and never viewed a dog as anything more than another working animal, he never viewed dogs as something to share a house with or as a furry friend and companion.

I personally can not live without a dog or cat in my life. Most people do not understand this and I've often had problems explaining it to them, but the poem above does a pretty good job of it. It's evidently been around for a while, but I had never seen it until I happened upon it in the comments section of a Yahoo story.  

Although technically Ink is supposed to be my son's dog, she's starts whining and yipping trying to get my attention the moment she hears me drive up, and keeps it up until she can get to me. Her "carrying on" alerts Cookie that Mommy is home and together they are falling all over each other trying to be the first one to get to me. What follows next is on average three minutes of wiggling, bouncing, and running for joy. Ink forgetting that she is too big to be picked up will try to jump up in my arms, and Cookie wiggles so much that I usually have to put her down before I drop her. After the initial greeting though Cookie Bear will usually gravitate to my husband and Ink towards me.

No human, let me repeat that, no human has ever greeted me with such open joy. My grandson comes close. During this warmer weather he's usually out front playing in the driveway or on the front lawn and when he sees my car he usually stops what he is doing and hurries towards the car. Part of it is because his Mimi is home and she will carry him around and cuddle him, but another part of it is he likes sitting on Mimi's lap while I pull the car into the garage. So while its close its not the same, he can be easily diverted by someone or something else once we are done parking the car.

Ink and I have a special bond. She is by my side almost every second I am home. She stays by my side when I work in the yard and when she is put out during dinner will usually sit at the sliding glass door looking in and following me with her eyes. When I'm washing dishes at the sink she will sit and watch me through the kitchen window. When we go out she monitors my personal space and when we stand in line at the Petco, no one is allowed closer than three feet without me giving her the ok When I put the grandson down for bed, she will lay outside the door until I come out. When its time to go upstairs to bed she will follow me up and lay outside the shower and wait. If I'm ill she never leaves my side. And when I crawl into bed she will jump up and lay down beside me, resting her head against my chest. She'll listen to my heartbeat and soon fall asleep and I'll follow the rhythm of her breathing and soon I'll turn off the TV and go to sleep too.

My husband isn't fond of Ink sleeping next to me, even though Cookie is usually on his side of the bed, because he says she's too big and that I surely can't be comfortable with her there next to me. But she's not too big and together we only take up our half of the bed, so I continue to let her up. Plus in my opinion, for her pure faithfulness and loving companionship, she deserves a good nights rest