In my life I have had two major pets, both dogs. Our first dog was a beagle mixed with a few other breeds and was named Snoopy. I remember enough about him, though I have also heard more stories about him than I actually remember. My mom and dad had him before I was born, but in my formative years I think it did help to have a pet. Usually kids get pets to learn responsibility or something similar, but what I learned from him was the idea of the unconditional bond. And as the years went on I learned loss. In his final days I recall him losing control of his bladder, and I slightly remember when I learned that we were going to be putting him down. The days and weeks that followed were difficult, it was as if I had lost a family member. Though looking back perhaps it was for the best because it did prepare me, at least partially, for the other more direct familial losses that I would confront only a few years later.
The second pet, my current dog, Star, is part Lab and part German Shepard. The ride home I can still recall vividly. We drove home with her in a cardboard box, just a puppy. I look at her now and it is hard to believe that she was once so small. I have a feeling that, as she limps onward toward the end of her life, that I shan't have another companion like her for quite some time, perhaps never. We trained her enough, but what I find so impressive is how she learned. I watch shows like The Dog Whisperer and it seems to advocate that you act as a distant leader, but my experience has taught me that you ought to be friends with your dog. And by approaching a pet like that I made a friend, a loyal companion. I can sit on the top flight of steps and put my arm up and she'll walk over and sit next to me. We can play on the floor or in the snow, and even now as she gets older and older she finds bursts of energy to play. I do not imagine she will be here much longer, but even the anticipation is not going to shield what is coming.
I have also had fish for a number of years, a few different kind, but it's hard to get attached to fish I suppose. Still, I like the idea of fish and even though the one I have now is kind of a pain in the ass I would love to get a tank of my own to look after. On the Dreamcast there was a game called Seaman, and that is probably responsible for my love of aquatic creatures (though the two did eventually become not fish). I also, unofficially, have three cats. Two stray cats camp out around my house, though we don't feed them or anything, but I can't really turn them away either because they are pretty friendly creatures. The kitten peered up at the door one time, and that was pretty sweet, but it makes getting in at night a hassle sometimes because they can't come in the house at the risk of throwing off the delicate balance of the home. Also, the Apache Chief is one Hell of a creature, and I will claim that cat as my own as well. None of these animals come close to my dog, and I am sure that where ever I end up living I will have a dog because that companionship is beautiful. I saw My Dog Tulip a while ago, and while the movie didn't hit home as much as it should have, it captures the beauty of this type of companionship, one that simply exists. The power relationship may be warped, perhaps there is more below the surface than I consider, but when it comes down to it, it is love. And I can't imagine life without a pet.
Thanks for reading!
Tomorrow's Topic: Favorite Games
Rich
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