Why Dog is Man’s Best Friend….

I made a commitment to myself to write two posts a week. I’m a day late on this one because I just didn’t have it in me to write anything. Yesterday, our family dog of eight years passed away. We’re really going to miss Domino.

I own an air conditioning company. Eight years ago, we were doing some work at a decent size house that was being converted into two apartments and a small office. When I dropped by there to check on the project, there was this black and white border collie mix that was super playful. I would pet her and throw the ball for her. The two guys that were working in the new office told me the person who was living in the house had abandoned her. They brought her food every day and just let her roam around. I felt sorry for the poor girl.

We hadn’t had a dog for a good two or three years, so I began thinking about taking her with me. I finally pulled the trigger and brought her home on my tenth wedding anniversary for Karen. It wasn’t the diamond she was probably expecting, but Domino was something that impacted us more than any material thing.

Domino is the perfect example of why they call dog a man’s best friend. I would have to say her behavior was almost human. I think she knew that she had been abandoned. She could never be alone, so she followed us everywhere. Like a good friend, she just liked hanging out with us whether it was on the couch or on the patio or out by the pool.

Just like a good friend, Domino was always happy to see any of us. The funny thing about dogs is that you can be gone for 15 minutes and they act like they haven’t seen you in days. How can you not love something that is always so happy to see you?

Just like a good friend, Domino always did something quirky or weird that we just loved about her. I’ll never forget the day she jumped out the second story window into the front yard. Flashlights drove her crazy. If you turned a flashlight on at night, she would chase the beam of light all over until she was out of breath. She was also the amazing escape artist. I could never figure out how she got out of the backyard. There were always people leaving messages on the answering machine saying that Domino was in their front yard and we had to come get her.

Just like a good friend, when she’s gone it hurts and you miss her. The last couple of years haven’t been kind to Domino. She’s had trouble with her eyesight and her hearing and her hips. Karen and I had to take her to the vet. The grief hit us hard and fast. I’ve lost my dad and my sister, but losing a pet hurts, too. The worst part of the day is having to tell the three kids when they got home from school. She was the best dog any kid could have. She was a gentle creature. We’re going to miss her.

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