For Christmas my Grandma sent me a great book. It was called how my dog saved me from myself. My uncle's dog just passed, rest his soul. I don't think we give our dogs enough credit. Kids are great too. They love you but then they don't sometimes, then they do, then they don't. I've had so many dogs in my family come and go over the years, but they all stay with you because no one ever loves you as much as a dog (except your Grandma).
I had a cat before and she was great. Not like the little spawn of Satan I somehow own now. But a dog is different. I swear 70% of the people in my hood know Max by name. Me? Maybe 20% of them know mine if I'm being generous. He's a happy (spoiled) dog and he just assumes everyone is in love with him because everyone is. I am a huge advocate of don't buy, rescue. Still, I didn't want Max.
I was going to the shelter a lot on the weekends, looking for a rescue. Some smaller, cuter dog. A city girl dog. One day a friend of a friend asked if I could babysit their 4 month old puppy. I said sure, cause that's the kind of girl I am. Then they ghosted me and I was here, looking at this way too big puppy trying to figure out what to do with him. I could drop him at the shelter. But then I'd never be allowed to rescue another animal from there, ever. It took me way too long to make up my mind and by that time, I was in love with this big goofy puppy.
He doesn't have a mean bone in his body but he's huge and thinks he's a lap dog. He loves to dance in the living room. The girls at work had an intervention for me one day, they wanted to talk to me about turning in my "abusive boyfriend". I was like these bruises are from a 70 lb puppy, not a boyfriend. I could take my boyfriend out if he were like that but he's nothing but kind :)
Max did save me from myself after all. We go everywhere together. I mostly only shop at dog friendly places. He knows every store in the hood that gives out dog cookies. He's had two jobs, where he basically just went to work in the morning and made everyone at the office/hair salon happy all day.
If our dogs were us, they'd be the best version of ourselves. There wouldn't be any wars or fighting or hurting each other with words. There would just be the best kind of love. It's sad that we get to live long lives and theirs are so much shorter. Maybe that's why they make the best of every minute of it.
Max, he's gotta always be in my bed at night, he needs to be in the middle of me and Jay, but on top of me. He smiles for no reason when he sits beside me. And everywhere we go, he makes people happy. He's never aggressive but a couple of years ago when I got sick, he became very protective. He barks now if someone comes to our door. Being a country girl, I never would have chosen a big dog in the city. Sometimes life doesn't give us a real choice. And sometimes that's a good thing.
I'm grateful every day for having him in my life. My dog has literally been my best friend, he saved me from myself. And to his cousin? Rest in Peace Willis. You were a good dog. xo
Sullivan out.
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