In Other Words with Dave

It’s an exciting time when your child gets their first apartment. They’re on their own, working, paying bills, being responsible – figuring it all out. As proud parents, we can breathe a sigh of relief. Wait. Hold it – a dog? You don’t need a dog – that’s a huge commitment. What if something happens, and then you can’t have a dog? 

That’s how I met my best friend, Bailey, an energetic Australian Shepherd puppy. She needed a home, and I reluctantly took her in. I remember explaining to her that we needed to take it slow as I had recently switched teams and was now a cat person. She ignored that nonsense entirely, and we became inseparable. 

We’ve been through so much. She’s been my office dog, camping canine, Hafer Park walking buddy, caretaker through my late wife’s illness, and chemo buddy through mine. She’s the best canine companion I’ve ever had. 

She’s 16 now, and her squirrel-chasing days are over. Her bright orange markings have faded to a faint tan. She is nearly deaf, and I can see that her body hurts as she slowly, slowly positions herself to lie down. She doesn’t seem too bothered by any of this. She’s just happy to be near her human, go for short walks, or have her belly rubbed. She’s still having good days – she smiles a lot and wiggles her butt (she’d wag her tail if she had one). She’s taught me more about living in the moment than any book, program, or hour of therapy ever has. Thank you, Bailey. Now let’s go watch those squirrels. 

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