Motherly Dog

Lin, she connected entire family.

She was brought home by my mother for my 20th birthday, she worried about me because I said “I don’t feel I can have any animals if I lose Ken and Taro,” Ken and Taro are my first dogs that I grow up with like siblings.

At that time, my mother and I were already living in different country, unfortunately before we brought her to where I live, one of my old dog Taro passed away, Taro and Lin couldn’t have chance to see each other but her existence lightened up Ken’s broken heart from loosing his brother, and so did in my heart.

Next year, Ken passed away, it was same heart problem with his brother Taro, I call they are brothers but they are completely different breeds, Ken was a Pekingese and Taro was a Chihuahua.

After Ken passed away, I became very unstable, I couldn’t bare the truth both of my first dogs left me physically, just physically, I know, but I felt I was torn.

From that day, Lin, my baby girl in same time sometimes like my sister, seems also added a role of mother in her.

I didn’t want her to take that role, feel like that I’m making her have to do it for me, though, her big fluffy body always gave me a safe place, with the eyes “I know you need it now”

She supported my relationships too, she was ok with most people, not over friendly but most times just lightly greet you with her muzzle, if she likes you (rarely) she will lick you once lightly. She if senses who have bad intentions on me, she will growl to the person in just enough volume to “let me know” helped me stay away from toxic relationships.

When I met my now husband, I wanted to introduce to her with no hesitation like I had before, it was first time I saw she licks someone more than once.

I felt, I knew it.

We were thrilled to introduce Lin and his dog, but suddenly an unexpected event occurred back in his hometown where his dog lives, and what I could say was, we couldn’t break a little girl’s heart and had to give up live with him, but still sometimes dreaming if they lived together, even I know they can see each others now.

After many years of family life, I discovered I didn’t make Lin to take mother role, it’s just one of her nature, motherly.

She was always sweet to small animals, and treated her toys like her babies, but if there is a big dog barking to her, she will act same, though, always looked me up like “Why he/she is scared?” when a small dog scared of her even she is just laying next to me at vet.

She always wanted to be friends with smaller kinds, after few move, we were able to have a yard for her to explore.

How she looked the baby bunny (unfortunately passed away from parasites born with), how she sniffed and smiled to a pregnancy test, how she be friended with neighbors dogs, how she be friended with many birds and squirrels and cats, it seems fulfill her motherliness help her open her heart even more, and so did in me.

One day, my husband and me suddenly wanted to have more dogs, it was interesting coincidence and we asked Lin too, she absolutely said “Yes”

Just like how we immediately decided together to adopted one more dog, we adopted a chinchilla shortly after, Lin was gently showing to the young dog to not tapping the cage and greeting the chinchilla gently, and demanded human to give treats to everyone together that helped them bond.

There is too many stories of how she was a great mother dog, somewhat reminds me my mother, and helped relationships between my husband and me, and my mother and me, taught me how to love equally, helped me grow, and let me realized everyone already helping each other grow.

But I am very happy that her final years were full of her babies and she was treating me like her sister again most times.

But my sweetest memories are the moments she was act like back to puppy more in final years.

Thank you Lin.

I love you.