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My Little Senior Citizen

I can't put my love for my dog into words

By Jade M.Published 2 years ago 3 min read
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As my dog cuddles beside me, I’m realizing how difficult it is to write about her. I struggle to fill the page with words that express how much I love her or what my favorite memory is of her. It isn’t because I lack things to say about my senior pup, it’s because I don’t have the words to properly express how much I love my dog, Sayu.

I’ve had her since she was a puppy, and I can still remember the way she jumped all over me the first time she saw me. I wasn’t sure how I felt about owning a dog, but once I met her; it was as if she were meant to be my dog. She always wanted to be with me. She started sitting on my lap whenever I was in the living room, and she also ended up sleeping in my bed. If I went into another room, she followed me, and she’d get upset when it was time for me to go to work.

I’ve always thought she was a little grouchy, and maybe that’s why I’ve grown so attached to her. She would often prioritize her comfort over anything else, which usually lead to her falling asleep on my lap and letting out a small growl if I shifted my weight. She would also make the cutest grouchy dog noises if I dressed her. Most of the time, she enjoyed wearing clothes, but she knew how to take the clothes off if she wanted to. She never cared much for other people. She preferred it to be just the two of us.

She’s older now, but back then she would get so excited when I came home that she would jump all over me. She doesn’t do much jumping these days, but she still makes it known how happy she is to have me home from work.

Sayu and I share a special bond, but it’s not perfect. Like most first-time pet owners, I’ve made mistakes, and even times when I almost lost her, such as the time I brought her out after a storm, and I didn’t know the gate was open. She got out, and I thought that I’d never see her again. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I thought about all the horrible things that might happen to her if I didn’t find her in time. Luckily, a neighbor saw her, and she returned to me.

I also made the mistake of feeding her ham. It was right after her sister passed away and I thought she was depressed. She’d always save half the food in her bowl for her sister, no matter how much I gave her. When Thanksgiving rolled around, I thought I should give her some ham to cheer her up. Unfortunately, I wasn’t aware that dogs couldn’t have ham, and she suffered for it. Luckily, the vet helped her make a full recovery.

I also let an ex come between me and my dog. No, it wasn’t anything as serious as thinking about re-homing her, but I was spending less time with her because he demanded I only pay attention to him. He would even tell me I’d spent the entire day with her and now I needed to pay attention to him. In hindsight, I realize she tried to warn me about him. She used to get in between us and try to push him away from me. I never put much thought into that until we broke up and I figured out that she never liked him. Now I like to joke that she’s going to pick my next boyfriend.

Despite my mistakes, it hasn’t affected our bond. She’s thirteen now, and she still wants to be where I am, and still prefers cuddling with me to anything else. In fact, she still cares about her comfort, but now she only gives me the side eye if I shift my weight when she’s comfortable. We even started going grey together, and I’ve given her the nickname my little senior citizen.

Although I’ve never been able to put it into words before, I love my dog and I can’t imagine life without her. I’ll never be able to share just one special memory of my dog because every memory I share with her is special. She's changed my life for the better and helped me get through a lot of tough times.

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About the Creator

Jade M.

Jade is an indie author from Louisiana. While her first book failed, she has plans to edit and republish it and try again. She has a senior min pin that she calls her little editor, and a passion for video games and makeup.

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