No Dogs Allowed
Nae
I consider myself a dog person. I’ve loved dogs for as long as I can remember. We always had them growing up. My dad was particularly good with animals, and I believe I inherited the trait. The first dog I remember was my mom’s little black poodle named “Nae,” and my favorite dog from my childhood was a Weimaraner named “Misty.” After Leroy and I got married, we had several dogs, but none of them made as much of an impact as Charlie and Daisy. When we lost Charlie and Daisy in 2019, I felt like I lost a piece of my heart with them. It took me a long time to adjust to their absence. But even now, I sometimes think I hear Daisy’s nails on the tile floor, and every time I open a jar of peanut butter, I remember them.
Misty
In the movie “The Kid,” Bruce Willis’ character goes back in time and encounters the eight-year-old version of himself. The kid is extremely disappointed when he learns about himself as an adult. "I'm forty, I'm not married, I don't fly jets, and I don't have a dog? I grew up to be a loser!" That’s how I feel without a dog. I’m a loser. The fact that we didn’t have a dog was a “red flag” for my daughter-in-law, Taylor, when Steel first introduced her, and her instincts were right.
I’m often asked if I will ever get another dog, and the answer is always the same: not right now. Not only do I not have the emotional capacity to take on that commitment, but I don’t have the lifestyle that a dog requires. A dog deserves more attention than I’m able to provide in this season of my life. We enjoy spontaneity (sometimes) and traveling, but it is not fair to leave a dog alone (or with someone else) when we are away. We integrate dogs into our lives, and right now, it’s not fair to subject a dog to the on-the-go life we currently live.
Charlie and Daisy
I disagree with the new trend of taking dogs along on errands, to restaurants and everywhere else people go. In the summertime, it’s way too hot for a dog to get in and out of a car, let alone walk on hot pavement. So many people claim their dog as a “support animal” and feel entitled to take them anywhere they want. To clarify, I am not referring to trained and certified service dogs. Those animals provide invaluable assistance to their owners, and every accommodation should be made for them. I’m talking about the people who buy a “support animal” patch on Amazon and think they have the right to drag that poor animal around with them. (What dog wants to lie on the floor of a casino while you’re playing a slot machine?)
So for now, we will not have a pet. But that may change in the future. The dogs in my life have given me incredible, unconditional love and created memories that will last a lifetime. They are the perfect animal companion. Someday, in another season of life, I may choose to give my heart away once again for another experience with these magnificent animals.
