21/08/2023
This is one of the many reasons Wiggle Bums was started.
Many people who have not had the pleasure of growing up with dogs find it hard to understand why they become such a big part of our lives. We are not dogs owners, we are dog parents. They look to us for love, shelter, food, play, education and loyalty, and in turn they give us their unending love and a bond that is like no other. The poem below sums up why these amazing, incredible and highly intelligent animals are such a huge part of our lives. Don’t we just wish they could live forever?
From time to time, people tell me, “lighten up, it’s just a dog,” or “that’s a lot of money for just a dog.”
They don’t understand the distance travelled, the time spent, or the costs involved for “just a dog.”
Some of my proudest moments have come about with “just a dog.”
Many hours have passed and my only company was “just a dog,” but I did not once feel slighted.
Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by “just a dog,” and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “just a dog” gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.
If you, too, think it’s “just a dog,” then you probably understand phrases like “just a friend,” “just a sunrise,” or “just a promise.”
“Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy.
“Just a dog” brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person.
Because of “just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.
So for me and folks like me, it’s not “just a dog” but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.
“Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.
I hope that someday they can understand that its’ not “just a dog” but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “just a man” or “just a woman.”
So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog,” just smile, because they “just don’t understand”.
~ Author: Richard A. Biby