number five: dogs

i've had a scar on my left forearm since i was two from the neighbor's dog biting me. to some, this traumatic event would equate to a permanent fear of pooches. thankfully, this has not been the case for me.

my first dog was a mut, his name was ripples and he was ridiculous. this dog would have been awarded the gold metal in the high jump, easily clearing 6 foot fences. he was too much for my parents and sadly spent the entirety of his life outside in our backyard. because he was always outside and wasn't easy to play with due to his wildness, i never really bonded with him. i still feel badly about that.

my next dog i'll never forget. his name was sydney and he was a miniature Australian Shepard. syd was an ass hole- a totally dominant little guy but completely adorable. he was a good dog overall though. what i'll never forget about him though is his connection to my dad. you see, i'm a complete daddy's girl, and when syd got sick and had to be put down that was the first and only time i've ever heard my dad cry. the memory of those phone calls still bring me to tears. and the night before he was put down i got to see him one last time, and he did what he always did, albeit much slower and with a lot more effort. he crawled between my legs and put his head on my thigh. it still brings me to tears. just fyi, this was not supposed to be a sad post.

now my parents have a new dog, smedly. he's a black lab mix and hands down the BIGGEST black lab i've ever seen. and possibly the dumbest. my brother tried to teach him how to swim and the guy almost drowned. he has the power all dogs have over me though, i see them and get incredibly happy. he's a goofball and honestly one of the largest reasons i hate that i can't ever go home anymore, i miss him that badly. even though he takes up all of the bed, he's still my favorite person to sleep with.

right now i'm dog sitting for my boss. he has hands down the best dog i've ever met, chaco. he's a gorgeous aussi boy who goes nuts when i walk into a room and shakes his little but and smiles a doggy smile. it lights me up.

dogs really are the best animal in the world, and i'd give anything to have one of my own. i can't wait until i finally get to take one home and come home to him every night. i'd much rather have a dog than a boyfriend at this point. chaco is snuggling at my feet right now, and although he does try and lick my toes, i can't stay mad at a face like that. dogs really are better than people in most ways. if you have a dog go snuggle him or her, it'll fill you up in an unparalleled way. and give your pooch a second snuggle from me.