Must love dogs.

They say that a dog is a man's best friend. Which explains why losing one is like losing a family member. Three years ago in March, I had to put my Golden Retriever, Tucker down. I can honestly say, it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. He was a brother to me. And not a day goes by that I don't think about him. Especially when we have scraps left over after dinner, or when I walk in the door and he's not there to greet me. 

There's a joke that goes: put your wife and your dog in the trunk for an hour and see which one is happy to see you when you finally let them out. 

A dog is always there no matter what...when you are ugly, sad, happy, or mad. They go through every change, emotion, and day with you. Communicating with a dog is unlike anything else. They don't judge, they don't assume...they just listen and wag their tale. Yet, some how you know that they understand.

A few weeks ago, my mom said that a little girl came to our door with a lost golden retriever on a leash. The girl asked if it was our dog. My mom sadly said no, but as she looked to see if the collar had a name/address on it, she noticed that the dogs name was Tucker...(if that wasn't a sign to get a new puppy, I don't know what is). When I see a dog that looks like Tucker, I always think that he should know me and come up to greet me like he used to.

I am not quite sure what it is that I miss about a dog. The company, the pillow, the foot warmer, the left-over disposal, the walking partner, the protector, the newspaper fetcher, the alarm clock, the door greeter, the non-judgemental listener, the shower licker, the vacuum, that friend that never talks back, but always makes you feel like everything will be okay.

 A dog and the owner's connection is virtually unknown in human relationships because it is wordless. It's not always easy and it sometimes starts out frustrating--yet it's a love that has no less of a value, just because one of the partners walk on four legs.

Before you get a dog you can't quite imagine what living with one might be like; afterward, you can't imagine living any other way.