Just a Dog

Back in January I posted about an expected arrival, Yogi the Border Terrier. I wasn’t a dog person and my girlfriend spent a lot of time educating me about dogs, their body language etc. before finally convincing me to get one.

Ten months on, I’m totally converted. I am now a dog person. I love Yogi to bits and simply cannot imagine life without him. He’s happy, bouncy, playful, amusing, annoying at times, but he has truly enriched my life.

I’ll say no more on this but would like to draw your attention to the text below because I was once a person who said “it’s just a dog”.

From time to time, people tell me, “lighten up, it’s just a dog,

” or “that’s a lot of money for just a dog.”

They don’t understand the distance travelled, the time spent,

or the costs involved for “just a dog.”

Some of my proudest moments have come about with “just a dog.”

Many hours have passed and my only company was “just a dog,”

but I did not once feel slighted.

Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by

“just a dog,” and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch

of “just a dog” gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you, too, think it’s “just a dog,” then you probably understand

phrases like “just a friend,” “just a sunrise,” or “just a promise.”

“Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship,

trust, and pure unbridled joy.

“Just a dog” brings out the compassion and patience

that make me a better person.

Because of “just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks and look

longingly to the future.

So for me and folks like me, it’s not “just a dog”

but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future,

the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment.

“Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts

away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it’s not “just a dog”

but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being

“just a man” or “just a woman.”

So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog,”

just smile,

because they “just don’t understand.”

– Richard Biby