I’m mad about my dog. I mean SERIOUSLY, I’m really, honest to goodness, head over heels in love with her. As far as I’m concerned she’s the earthy embodiment of all things good and pure and she’s as damn near to perfect as a living creature could ever hope to be. Her name is Lola, she’s a black working-type cocker spaniel and she’s drop-dead gorgeous with silky ears, a velvety muzzle and the most soulful dark puppy eyes ever. I often think that she very much resembles Cheryl Cole (UK reference there, sorry).
Who else, other than a dog, so consistently thinks you’re the best thing ever? In fact, you can be horribly grumpy, snap at them, shout “Out to the kitchen!’ in an evil voice and generally be a right meanie and they’ll still think you’re the bee knees. People who abuse this devotion and starve and harm their pets really are either in need of a stint in their local mental health out patients to talk over their childhoods or are simply scum. Plus, you can never go wrong with a dog, never be sort on things to say, never fear you’ve put your foot in it or offended them and they give you a level of companionship above and beyond that of any other animal and, to be honest, of most other people. Hanging out with a dog is very chilled, very undemanding and there’s no pressure to be funny or clever or attractive at all.
Whereas people need all kinds of complicated things to keep them well and happy a dog’s needs are simple. They need water, food, shelter, love and walks. These five simple things make them happy. If you consider the lists of things that other family members need to be happy then you’ll appreciate the fact that five is a very low number indeed. The relationship between a dog and its owner is a perfectly symbiotic one, we give them those five simple things and they give us unconditional adoration, affection and company.
I can't imagine how empty my house would be without Lola padding about, or how lonely I’d be without her head on my knee. Seriously. It doesn’t bear thinking about. My advice is, if there's someone home for most of the day and you can feed/ exercise/ love a dog even when you’re skint/tired/not in the mood, then what the hell are you waiting for? BUT… expect to find yourself walking in the rain, in the cold, in the snow for hours, expect to have to pass up on impromptu days out and weekends away because there’s no one to baby-sit your beloved pup, expect to pick up stinky poo on a daily basis and expect to fork out your clothing allowance on food, pet insurance and inoculation jabs. Still worth it? Hell yeah! I think so. I mean, look at this photo of her WEARING SUNGLASSES, doesn't it kill you?
XXX
