I owe dog owners everywhere an apology. I admit to rolling my eyes and thinking, “Really? It’s just a dog!” whenever you shared photos and stories about your pup.
When my son was diagnosed with autism, some friends “got it” and some, well—not so much. Since then, I’ve been there as friends welcomed beautiful children with disabilities and/or special needs to their families. Having personally experienced what they were going through, I knew how to respond and react appropriately—I knew what they needed to hear. And, many of those friends expressed guilt for not being there for me the same way ten years ago. But I understand—it can be hard to relate unless you’ve experienced something firsthand.
And now, I finally understand the difference between being an observer to another person’s experience, and actually feeling a connection to it. Now that I’ve become a dog owner, I absolutely understand why people feel the need to share—it’s joyful and exciting, after all.
Our little AussieDoodle, Ozzy, arrived home less than two weeks ago, and it’s like I’ve had another baby. Our Ozzy had a homecoming fit for a king: greeted by his new family, extended family, and neighbours, with the whole homecoming captured on film by a professional photographer. He even had a studio session later in the week.
I’ve often said in my next life, I’d like to come back as one of my own kids. Now, I’d like to come back as my dog.
Here’s his life with us, so far, in pictures. It is, indeed, a dog’s life.
Do you have a dog? What role does it play in your family?
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