What it Means to Have a Dog to a Young Boy!

This is a short personal story about my love of animals and I hope it will be inspiring to those thinking about owning a pet. I say, "Do it".

My love of animals had always been a part of me and for a while, I entertained studying to become a veterinarian. I loved our trips to the zoo and I always wanted my mom to get me a Komodo Dragon or Red Panda. But.... well, you can imagine the response. Once I got a bit older, although I still wanted those pets, I was very happy to have at least a dog. One day in January of 2022, the dream of owning a dog became a reality. My mom and I went through discussing many different breeds, visiting pet shops, reading lists about the best dogs, and more. We finally settled on getting a Sheepadoodle, for many reasons, but the main reason was how cute they are and that they are hypoallergenic which was important since we both have allergies.

I can still remember the day our puppy arrived. I had already picked out a name Loki (not the Marvel Character, it's from Norse Mythology). He was previously named Merle and I always think he must be so glad I came along as he needed a strong name. Loki settled into our family perfectly. One of my favorite tasks was to give him a bath in the sink and then hold and dry him in my lap.

We have both grown taller since that time. but i can still pick him up. I love how happy he is when I come home and my heart swells a bit every time with pride that he is mine. When he is not around because my dad took him to work, I miss him very much. He truly means the world to me and I had no idea how much we would bond together. I am the only one who rough houses with him and he knows that is part of our fun together.

So, what does it mean to me to have a dog? It means Everything to me. He is my light every day, he comforts me when i am sad, makes me laugh endlessly and provides all the warmth I need every day as we cuddle together on the couch... (Don't tell my mom as she has a no dog on the couch rule).

Loki is a part of my being and I can't imagine life without him ever.