Creative Writing: The Dog Chase

On Wednesday, June 18, 2003, I had finalized the decision to put my incapacitated dog to rest. It became a reality. I clearly remember the warm, breezy day that occurred two weeks ago. As I sat in the freshly cutgrass of my front yard, I paid no attention to the sounds of the birds that were singing or the leaves that were dancing on the trees. All that was on my mind was the details of the last 13 years and remembering the times we shared together. As I kept trying to convince myself that he would not have to suffer another day from his ailments, I kept thinking of the first day that he came into my life. I was 15 years old when I got Valen. It was Valentine's Day in 1990. Earlier that week my mother was near Port Jervis, New York on a business trip. She had some free time before she had to come home to Pennsylvania so she decided to stop at the local SPCA. Her intentions were to simply look at the animals and then leave. She made her way to the area that housed the dogs. There she found a shy, but friendly, golden retriever. He was a bit apprehensive at first, almost as if he was neglected and abused, but it didn't take much of my mom's gentle touch and her soft, subtle voice before this dog realized she was his savior. She decided that she would like to adopt this dog however, the policy was strict, and there was a seven-day waiting period before you could adopt an animal.

Most little girls dream of becoming a princess and finding their Prince Charming. I dreamed for a puppy that would snuggle with me in bed and chase away the nightmares. Fast forward to seventeen years later and I am a proud dog owner of a dachshund. A relationship with a best friend who isn’t human is one I couldn’t imagine living without. As an owner I learned it’s not just mundane maintenance that takes to raise my dog but she also comes with her own quirks, attitude, and has molded an everlasting place in my heart.

Think about something that can’t be lived without. The first thought coming to mind may be food, water or shelter, but for others that unlivable material could be an object. It could be a phone, a favorite shirt, a toy or any other assortment of items. Now imagine how that item can influence a life and decide if it does produce a long term impact in people’s thoughts and actions. A narrow mirror hanging on a wall or a pair of shoes on one's feet may appear trivial, but any item can have a story behind it and generate a lifelong impact. Can an object actually shape who someone is? Any object can influence someone’s life, no matter what it may be. I’m confident this is true since at one year of age, I acquired an item that helped craft who I am today and without it, my attitude and values would be drastically different.

I looked at my dog and made eye contact with his large brown eyes. Time seemed to slow down as I read his eyes like an open book. I still remember the look today, while I was laying on the couch next to him. It was the most terrifying sight I’ve ever seen. My dog, my best friend, and the only thing to trust me with everything calmly could show that he had accepted death. For me though he was still could wagging his tail for us. The night I saw this was October 22nd at 8:02 PM. This dog changed my entire perspective on life. He was a dog that could instantly make a room bloom as a flower would, but with joy. He loved life and those around him and that caused us to love him so much.

I was about to get up when I heard a random rumble right next to me. "Please don 't tell what I think it is?" I nervously gulp in a lump in my throat. I turned around to be faced with a very protective dog.

He was a Lab-mix, half-black and half-brown, with pointed ears, short legs, and wild, hungry eyes. About a week after my father came home with him from the airport, the five-pound bundle of destructive energy single-handedly tore apart one of the bean-bag chairs in the family room. When we found him covered in white tufts, rolling in the carcass of his recently decimated prey, both my brother and I found it apt to change his name from Chase to Spaz. It suited the ravaging look on his small, adorable face.

My first dog was named Toby, he was a very white, ball of fluff. He blended in with the shiny white crispy snow on December 25, 2006. My sisters and I were on our way home from my dad’s house when all of a sudden we pulled into my mom’s house. On Sunday, December 25, 2006, Toby was waiting at our house. We all got out of the car on that cold snowy day and walked on the slippery sidewalk. The snow was like a chilling carpet on the bottoms of our feet. My mom opened the door with a camera so my sisters and I knew something was up. A shocking step in the house and we saw a very fluffy dog, we were very excited. He was like a deer in headlights. There was a bunch of screaming and yelling going on at that moment between the three of us. We

“DOG.”That's all I could think. Today was the day me and my dad would go pick my dog bud from the springs, I was so excited! Finally I would get a lifelong friend. When it was time to go we loaded up in the car. During the ride we got hungry so we stopped at Pete's dinner on the way. My dad had a burger and I had steak, the steak was incredibly juicy, we paid a total of 10;30$.But before we left my dad had to say hi to the owner because Pete was a friend of my grandpa's. Then we got back into the car and continued our journey. While on the road I stared on the window, my dad raging behind me because he was cut off while turning. Though I preferred to stay awake I fell asleep on the way only to be awoken when we arrived. We were greeted kindly by the breeder who gave us bud. He directed us to the living room where I would play with bud and the breeder and my dad would fill out the paperwork. There he was my soon to be dog Bud. Bud was a brown and white shih Tzu, my favorite breed, with brown eyes and a hairy faced purebred. He was the best thing I've ever seen in my life. While my dad was paying the breeder and filling out paperwork I was sitting and playing with Bud his little feet were so cute as he tried to run at me, such a ferocious beast. After about 30+ minutes of playing my dad tapped me on the shoulder and said it was time to leave. We loaded back up in the car, this time with Bud, except I was still tired so I layed down in the back carefully with a

“We’re going to look at the dogs inside of the pet store,” my mom said, “but we aren’t getting one today.”

A RANDOM CHRISMAS STORY I MADE THAT IDK WHAT THE TITTLE SHOULD BE SO THIS IS WHAT I HAVE \(._.)/

Dogs are considered man’s best friend and an important part of the family I even own a dog myself. I’ve had mine for almost seven years, and while I do care greatly for his health, and happiness I’ve grown sick of his complete disregard of commands, constant whining, and an unwarrantable need for attention. Not to mention the fact that this dog is constantly rolling around in the filthy grass getting all kinds of germs on him. My beloved dog has also cost me hundreds of dollars to simply raise him into the healthy and happy dog he is now. I have grown sick of caring for him and I will no longer the tyranny from my own dog.

Every Saturday morning when the trees are still tinged with blue, Coco and I would stroll down the road leading out of our house. We enter into the endless preserve of saguaro and dirt. Coco, for a fifteen-year-old Jack Russell, is a fun-sized, furry firecracker. She doesn’t say much, but the bounce in her step and sassy saunter is enough to put a smile on anyone’s face. Her collar jingles as she sprints in front of me with her signature lopsided grin and a crazy look in her eyes. She has been, and always will be, a mischievous puppy. One time she dug a hole under the gate and slipped out. My eyes bulged when I saw her swimming in circles in my neighbor’s recently cleaned pool. She looked like a drenched rat as she scurried back to the house. I expected a good yelling when my neighbor saw what she had done, but all he said was “Your dog is a hell of a good swimmer.”

At the young age of 14, I fell in love for the first time. Although not ideal, he was white, covered with brown spots and innocent eyes; a young Chihuahua. Max and I came into each other’s lives on October 20, 2013, when my older brother told me that a dog was coming home soon. Although I was afraid of dogs, having previously been bit by one, I was oddly excited, and kept glancing at my phone and at the window for the arrival of the new member to our family. Once the duo arrived, my whole life would change. As my brother placed the small creature down, he came running towards me with his small wagging tale and innocent eyes. Once he began to lick my feet I knew I was in love. Our family settled on the name Max, but I called him Marco, and from then on I would treat Marco as if he was my true blood brother. This one lone puppy, taught me responsibility, compassion, and grief for others, as no other person has ever made me feel.

Tasha and River were jumping really high and landed with their arms up like they were waving to me and saying hi. I teach dogs cool tricks because it's fun and it reliefs me. The dogs I teach tricks to is Tasha and River. They are really good listeners and they learn quickly. Also, they keep me company when I'm home alone and when I teach them tricks. They enjoy doing tricks with me because they show it on their face. I give them treats when they listen to what I say to them when I am teaching them new tricks. For example when Tasha and River get the trick right I give them each a treat to eat. But only teach them one to two tricks a day because I don't want to push them to the max, and fill them up on treats. If you would like to teach dogs tricks like me then that's great.

Dogs are not just man’s best friend, they are without a doubt the best animal ever created. They are cute, loyal, exuberant creatures. Who wouldn’t want a dog? The first family dog we ever had was a gift and a secret. We knew that our mother disapproved, she believed that dogs are just too messy. However, Dad managed to convince her to keep the dog. We named him Max. To my mom’s credit, the first thing Max did as soon as we let him into the house was make a mess. My mom grew to love Max as much as everybody else in the family. Although, she still didn’t like the idea of pets in general.