Dogs

I am never happier as a writer than when I have canine companionship. I’m sure I will eventually get a dog of my own, but right now I lean on my dad’s for support. They’ll be there when I go to visit for Thanksgiving, and I’m sure I will have many writing sessions with two little potatoes warming my feet.

I like other animals, too, of course. I have owned cats, and once, a parakeet named Herbert Birdsfoot.

But there’s something about the love of a dog, and I cannot wait to get back into the rhythm of owning one. I write differently when there’s a dog in the room, because all of the sudden, writing is not lonely. There is someone there to hear my frustrations and exclamations, emphasizing a point with a yawn.

I type slower when a dog is in the room because I have to take breaks for pets.

Sometimes, there are tears on my face that need to be licked away, and dogs are good for that.

It would be nice to have a dog right now as I’m dealing with a lot of loneliness, but I’d have to board them while I was away. It’s not worth going to the SPCA just yet. But eventually I will, and I’ll spend time picking out a puppy.

The dog would teach me a lot more than I could teach it, that’s for sure. Dogs are a study in consistency, and having the structure of a dog would round out my life quite a bit. Walks twice a day, etc. Plus, if I was walking my dog I would talk to more people in my apartment complex. I’m not even trying to talk myself into it now, it’s just true. When you walk a dog around an apartment complex, they get attention and you get to come with it.

I know from experience that having a dog in the car makes it feel like you’re not going anywhere alone. I could use that kind of safety and security. I could also use the feeling of being in a pack. It is not happening with friends quickly, because adult friendship is hard to schedule. So, adopting a buddy sounds like the perfect antidote to a bit of loneliness.

But again, it won’t happen fast because I like to travel. It’s just something to think about for the new year. I have time and space to be able to dedicate to a puppy.

I also feel affinities for giraffes and elephants, but they don’t make them small enough for the public to adopt. 😉