Ode to Our Doggies

I’ve noticed that when I take my dog on a walk, people are 10 times more likely to talk to him than me. For a dog that is scared of most people, he is quite a popular guy. Dogs have always been a essential part of my life, there is nothing better than being greeted by their smiling eyes and unwavering love. I have had Ranger for about a year and a half and over that time we have become inseparable. A quiet listener who prefers large comfortable sofas to the floor. He is one part running buddy, one part protector, and one part chaser of squirrels; the reluctant rock star.

I adopted the Lone Ranger last January, after I had to say goodbye to my childhood pet of 19 years, a fearless Cairin Terrier with a penchant for scrambled eggs and mischief. A few months later, my friend’s childhood pet was put to sleep. She called me before it happened, we spent a good hour crying into the phone, mourning our losses and that last connection to childhood. There is nothing harder than saying goodbye your four legged friend.

“When the Man waked up he said,
‘What is Wild Dog doing here?’
And the Woman said,
‘His name is not Wild Dog any more,
but the First Friend,
because he will be our friend
for always and always and always.'”
– Rudyard Kipling