Fun-Loving Angel

Having a pet really makes a difference in one’s life. Studies have shown that people with pets are healthier than those without pets. Having Angel has made a tremendous impact in my life. She is so playful and energetic and just loves to have fun. It is amazing to see the transformation of Angel into this wonderful awesome loving pet. When my husband Scott first got Angel, she was a scrawny, timid little one and a half year old dog of about 25 pounds with a long scar along her back. The former owners said that Angel had crawled out under a chain link fence and that was how she got the scar. They could not bring her to the vet for stitches so the wound healed by second intention and it has left a big scar.

The other amazing thing about Angel is if you see her today, you wouldn’t know that she had such a past full of hunger and pain. She is so loving and adoring of everyone. She loves to kiss everyone she meets. She’s one of those dogs they say “can’t hold her licker”. Angel is now 59.8 pounds, not scrawny anymore. And you can tell she has confidence now. She is gorgeous. My friend Malou, also a veterinarian, says she’s just healthy, she’s not fat. I believe Angel is happy with us and has forgotten any bad issues she had in the past. I have been putting betadine on her scar and half of it has been overgrown with hair and now looks like a long cowlick. But the other half is still obvious.

If we have made a difference in her life, I can say that Angel has made as much an impact in our own lives. Her constant and loyal companionship has helped us a lot. For my husband, Scott, Angel has become a perfect pet. Angel goes to greet Scott in the morning to be petted as if to say “Good morning, Daddy”. Angel loves to ride in the truck with Scott. He takes her with him riding in the truck and she just loves it. She rides really well and is no trouble at all that she is such great company for Scott when he goes to the hunting club. Scott is really proud of Angel, how well behaved and how loving she is. He enjoys their time together and how Angel is such a love sponge and just loves to be petted. And as for me, it has made all the difference to have Angel. It is like having a friend with me all the time, and such a loyal adoring friend. Just the kind I needed. I am just so thankful for her, that having her, I could focus on her and not on myself or on negative thoughts. The paradox of a dog’s love is that it is unconditional and they are relentless in wanting to be loved back. Yes, a dog loves unconditionally. To dogs, nothing matters but that they know they love you and they want you to know it. And yes, they are relentless in wanting to be loved back. No matter what your mood is, your dog will constantly love you and try to earn your approval. Their kind of love assures us to no end that we are loved no matter what, and that we are needed. We who have dogs are really blessed. And in this sense, our dogs can be real angels, because they save us from sadness and loneliness. Their cheerful company can pull us out of that rut and keep us from falling into the deep abyss of depression, self-pity and self-absorption.

If you have a dog, you have to get up every morning because you have to feed your dog- your baby. You have to take it for a walk. You have to play with it. You have to pet it. Yes, yes, yes, you just got to love it. If you have a dog, you can’t sleep all day and be depressed. And even when you are sad, if you have a dog, you won’t be sad alone. Your pet will be right next to you, to kiss and lick your sadness away. Soon enough, she’ll be doing something that will just crack you up and cheer you up. And you forget your sadness.

Walking with my Angel has also improved my health tremendously. I have lost maybe 15 pounds from the regular exercise of walking at least 30 minutes a day with my dog Angel. We also used to walk with my friend Ms. Peggy. Angel loved Ms. Peggy and she would give her sugar ( a kiss) on the chin whenever we said goodbye. But since school started and Ms. Peggy has to go to work, it’s mostly me and Angel walking together. Except when my friend Malou was here for a visit, then we all three (Malou, myself and Angel) walked together. Angel also loved Malou. She would walk next to Malou and liked to look up at her. After Malou went back to the Philippines, it’s just me and Angel again. I think Angel loves our walks, and I love our bonding time on these walks. I love also that I am able to pray-walk (that is, praying while I am walking) if it is only me and Angel walking. Having thirty minutes to one hour of communion with God, enjoying the open air and a beautiful day is just “priceless”. In that one hour, I give everything to God, and there is no need for worry. Once, at the end of one hour of walking, Angel let me know by sitting on the ground and refusing to get in the car that she wanted to walk one more lap. I couldn’t blame her, though, it was a beautiful day- cool and breezy, not hot at all. It was just gorgeous outside. And so I started to walk her again for another lap. She turned and licked my hand, and looked at me with those winking eyes, with her mouth open like she was smiling. As if she was saying, “Thank you, Mommy, don’t you just love walking on this gorgeous day?” I pet her once again and think,”thank you, Angel!”

Angel

My dog and my friend

You are loyal till the end

You make me laugh

You make me smile

You make each moment

Worth the while

So quiet and so kind

Such a sharp mind

I know you love me

I thank the Lord for thee

I love you my friend

I love you till the end

© by Karen Galarneau 2013