Paws For Thought

I've loved dogs ever since I can remember - big ones, small ones, spotty ones and I can even tolerate the tiny yappy ones. Even when I was little, I preferred Lady and the Tramp to Aristocats, never missed an episode of Wishbone and fantasised about owning 101 dalmations (later realising the reality might be slightly different from the film). When I blew out the candles on the birthday cake each year, my one wish would always be to have a dog. Maybe even two if I wished really hard. As my parents had full-time jobs it wouldn't have been fair to have one cooped up in the house all day on their lonesome, so instead I settled for living vicariously through my friends and relatives' dogs: playing fetch with them and giving them walks whenever I had the chance.

Without a doubt, my absolute favourite of all was Poppy, my mum's friend's dog. She had an uncanny intelligence as well as endless energy and curiosity, and every time we visited she would greet me as if I were an old friend. I became so fond of her that I even wrote a short story about her in primary school. Her owner Meg loved to paint, and so the walls of their living room were covered in beautiful works of art, most of which were strikingly lifelike versions of Poppy starting from when she was a puppy right up until the present. It was clear to see how much Meg adored her, and of course vice versa.

So imagine my sadness when I was told, just now, that she had died some weeks ago.

I felt numb. A cherished friend, one who I always looked forward to seeing, is gone. She will no longer be greeting me at the door when we visit, barking excitedly. But then my mind flashed back to my last memory of Poppy. She was lying across my lap as I softly stroked her fur, staring up at me with her coal-black eyes. Meg looked over and said, 'That's a look of pure adoration, that is.' I couldn't have asked for a better final moment.

A person can learn a lot from a dog: friendship, selflessness, affection, how to find joy in simply going for a long walk and above all, unwavering loyalty. When they rush to greet you at the door after a long day, all your stress melts away and their enthusiasm at seeing you makes you feel like you're the only person in the world that matters to them. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more rewarding feeling than that. So, next time you get irritated at your dog for wanting to play when you're working or nuzzling up to you when you're busy talking on the phone, just keep that in mind.

'A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. Status symbol means nothing to him. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his.' - John Grogan