What Dogs Mean To Us

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Surely you have heard people say “a dog is a man’s best friend.” And then you have the people who argue, “a dog is a woman’s best friend too.” And I would have to disagree with both. A dog is not just your best friend. A dog is a piece of your heart.

I’m 20, and I got my first dog when I was 12. A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with a little poodle in her, which you can only tell by her pumpkin colored curly ears. Growing up, I had always wanted a real pet — not a fish, not a hermit crab, not a hamster. I did not know that I could love something as much as I love my dog Stella.

A dog is not just a pet. Stella is my footrest when I have no where to put my feet, my vacuum when I drop food on the ground, and my reason to exercise when I take her for walks. Stella is my family’s morning wake up call, where she scratches each person’s door in the morning until someone wakes up. Stella is a professional bodyguard, growling at strangers to protect us. Stella is a part time security guard as well, watching people through the windows, barking to let us know every single time someone passes. Stella is my comfort when I am sick and on the couch, as if she understands I do not feel well.

Stella has warm brown eyes that could convince you to do anything. Her eyes remind me of the cat “Puss in Boots” from Shrek. Stella breaks my heart when I leave her home, as she paces behind my feet as if she wants to say “bring me with you” and then puts her face in the window and watches me leave as if I will never come back. When I come home, and she acts like she has not seen me in years, wagging her tail and running through the rooms of the house looking for her stuffed dog that she carries around. She brings it to everyone when she gets excited. Stella is notorious for making the best expressions when she mad. Her top lip gets tucked in and makes her look like she hates the world. Like when she gets yelled at for being on our “good couch.” She will go to her bed and sit with the angry expression. It never ceases to make me laugh. Stella loves Cheez-Itz, and every time I eat them we play the “one for you, one for me” game.

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Stella is the best part of me. Having a dog has changed who I am. I have learned how to care for something other than a person. A dog is a piece of your heart.