The actual definition of a dog is “a four legged animal that is often kept as a pet or used for hunting” but they are so much more than that. Dog’s are creatures that come into this world knowing how to unconditionally love without it being taught in some sort of life lesson. They forgive, they love, they cherish everything (actually, they cherish anything). More often than not, we as owners–no, as humans forget to thank them for everything they share and teach us. This is a thank you for all dogs: homeless, pets, working, show dogs and every one of you in between.
Thank you for:
1. Your Friendship
Thank you for your companionship. There is no other friend quite like you and I thank you for that. You are there with me through everything even though you don’t really have a choice in the matter. You woke up one day and BOOM, you have a owner. So, thank you for being my assigned friend and not making such a big fuss about it.
2. Your Happiness
This is specifically for when there are periods when I am alone in this world. I am thankful I have you. When I am across the world away from home, you are there. You are there to cuddle with on a night in with some movies and snacks. A lot of people out there are missing their other half because sometimes the job takes them to places we can’t go, and you understand that people need an extra ray of sunshine. You greet me with a smile knowing smiles are contagious.
3. Your Love
Loving unconditionally is something a human needs to learn. Some have an entire lifetime and still are buried without the ability to love unconditionally. Thank you for being born with that trait. I may yell at you because you ate a tasty little morsel (my shoe) that I left out in the open for you but you are still there trying to say “Sorry, I love you”. It absolutely amazing that you and your kind can be so in love with another being just because we exist. Thank you for loving me for who I am not for what I have (even though it seems like you listen better when I have food).
4. Your Enjoyment in Simplicity
Thank you for teaching me to take joy in the simple things. You take something as simple as a stick outside in the field and treat it like it was a gift, made specifically for you. Your joy and excitement for that stick has taught me to always enjoy the little moments. Enjoy the times that I have with my loved ones, the sun shining on a warm day, the rain, the breeze and basically everything. You have taught me to enjoy these little things because in the end, that is what we remember the most.
5. Your Moments of Laughter
This is for all of the little moments on those no good, awful, terrible and unlucky days that you have made me laugh. I know you don’t intend to fart in a moment of silence or fall off the couch while in a deep sleep but I thank you for it anyways. Thank you for being silly enough to startle yourself awake with your own farts.
6. Your Empathy
I don’t know what it is about dogs that give you the ability to see into other people’s souls, but thank you. Thank you for seeing directly through me and feel what I feel. You understand that am having a crappy day because they killed Walter off of…. well I don’t need to tell you, you were there. In all seriousness, you were there for all the ups and downs in my life and understood I just needed someone there. Thank you for trying to make the tears go away with doggy kisses (not talking about Walter anymore by the way).
7. Your Patience
Thank you for being a little rascal during dog school and embarrassing me during your class because who couldn’t use a bit more patience? Thank you for teaching me to wait, because you have not found the right spot to poop (even if you look at me with those judgmental eyes as if I should not go to the bathroom in the house because we live there).
8. Your Protection
Thank you for protecting me from the wind outside, the bird that flew by and the kid on the bike across the street with your loud thunder-like barks. Even though I think you may run and hide like me if there is ever anything going on, I feel safer with you around.
9. Your Help
Thank you for your help with cleaning the floor and making sure anything that drops is picked up in a timely fashion. It is a great help since I hate sweeping. Also, please thank your friends in the K9 units helping police officers and soldiers and thank your cousins that work as dogs to help the blind and the ones that just need a companion to feel happier.
10. Your Forgiveness
Thank you so so much for being forgiving. I know that there are crappy human beings out there that don’t treat dogs very nicely and I am sorry. Thank you so much for being so forgiving and never losing hope in finding a forever home because you were given back a couple times. In addition, thank you for not holding any grudges and not expecting me to give you back the moment you stepped foot into my home.
Featured photo credit: Jackson/ M. Agbayani via flickr.com
