Yes, I Know How Many Pictures I Take of My Dog

Fair warning: if by chance you and I become Facebook friends, you WILL get sick of seeing my dog.

“Huck” is a fixture on my page. I often share snippets of his antics (which undoubtedly are sometimes amusing only to me) and countless snapshots of his goofy pit bull grin. I comment on “how much I love this damn dog” and “what would I do without him.”

I’m mocked about it—A LOT—but to be frank: I don’t care.

I met my pit bull/boxer mix by chance, while competing at a horse show in Michigan in 2011. He was the largest—and most relaxed—dog brought in by a rescue group hoping to send them home with one of the equestrians or spectators that weekend. I spotted this handsome fellow with green eyes and I was done. He was it, despite my mom’s worries about pit bulls (p.s. she adopted her own pit a year later).

I’ve had many family dogs (Cuddles, Heidi, Grace, Penelope, Mackenzie, Isabella), but never has one been solely MINE: loyal only to me and responsive to solely my emotions. Until Huck. And I doubt any dog will ever have more of my heart. I remind him on a daily basis that he must find a way to be immortal, because I can’t even picture my life without him.

I’ll spare you the mushy details, and instead share with you some fun facts from a ”Dog Happy Survey.” A national survey of 3,000 U.S. dog parents by the popular Milo’s Kitchen dog treat brand — our four-legged friends enrich our lives in surprising ways that we often don’t fully appreciate, such as:

• 95% of dog parent say they have a regular conversation out loud with their dog
• 86% of dog parents say their dog “comforts me immeasurably”
• 71% say their dog “reminds me to seek out more joy in life”
• 64% say their dog “makes me look forward to going home more than anything else”
• 63% say their dog “makes me much more patient and responsible”

I often lovingly take Huck’s giant head in my hands, smooch him on his snout and say, ”You, sir, are the love of my life” (my significant other playfully takes offense. He knows where he stands). There are so many moments throughout a mundane day where I look over and see my snoozing hunk of hound and swear I can feel my heart swell to three times its normal size. He has kept watch over my newborn nephew, snuggled beside me after several surgeries to an injured hand, and sat perfectly still as I cried into his scruff. Among so many other life lessons, he teaches me patience (I swear it’s always when I’m running late that he is especially picky about where he poops) and empathy (I so wish he could speak and tell me exactly what ails him).

I know my love for this dog is nothing new—dog owners across the world share special relationships with their own—but it feels momentous and larger than life every single day. I do not have any children, but I have him—who is entirely reliant on me and my ability to feed him, walk him, and most importantly love him. It’s a companionship that is weighted in responsibility, loyalty, and pride.

What an honor it is, to love a dog, and to earn its love in return. If over-sharing and boasting my adoration is the worst thing I do, I’ll take it.

Call me ”Crazy Dog Lady” all you want.

Happy National Dog Day, my beautiful boy. I’m so lucky to have found you.