Growing up as the oldest of three children was a tough task because the expectations of being the senior sibling was a difficult thing to process. Honestly, I couldn’t have done it without my first dog, Gavin. You’re probably asking, how does a dog teach you how to become an older sibling? Well, Gavin was a Chocolate Lab/German Shepard, and he taught me many life lessons that stick with me to this... Source ..read more

I remember as a toddler waddling into my cousin’s house, toy in hand, and the largest creature I’ve ever seen was looming over me. It was a male Great Dane, peering down at me sniffing my yellow raincoat. I slowly backed up to the door, but there was no escape. The dog was big enough to surround me with its entire body. After what felt a full day at pre-school, the 100-pound male backed off... Source ..read more

It was a sad day in the Brklycica household when we had to say goodbye to Ben. My Yellow Labrador Retriever, Ben, became an angel on February 21, 2021. I did not know a life without Ben, as he grew up alongside me. He was a chunky, go-with-the-flow type of dog that loved to sleep and beg for food. After Ben’s passing, we noticed the house was always quiet, which was extremely rare for us. Source ..read more

Dogs are interesting, energetic companions that have done so much for many different people around the world. Dogs can be man’s and woman’s best friend with their ability to cheer them up and be there for them when they are feeling low. Dogs are a crucial part of many families, and they can reciprocate that love and make someone feel as if they’re of the same blood as well. However... Source ..read more

Being an only child, I always had a desire to know what it was like to have a sibling. That changed at eight years old when my family purchased our Brittany, Schatze. She instantly became my best friend as we grew up together. Schatze was, and still is, an energetic, happy pooch. She loves to run around our yard, go on walks and she can never not be around someone. Any time we are in the house... Source ..read more

January 7, 2023, was the day our 13-year-old dog S’mores became an angel. I remember it like it was yesterday. My neighbors’ dogs were set to have puppies in the late summer of 2009 and they encouraged the whole street to come visit once the newborns had arrived. My siblings and I had been asking our mom for a dog for what seemed like forever, and we finally caught our break. The four of us walked... Source ..read more

Every year, shoppers crowd stores on Black Friday, voraciously clamoring to purchase discounted goods from their favorite retailers. On Black Friday 2010, my sisters and I, all impatient children, joined that mob focused on an unorthodox Black Friday purchase: a puppy. Like many children without pets, my sisters and I (there we are in the photo above: from left to right, our dog Nikki... Source ..read more

As a seven-year-old girl, breakfast was never something I could simply sit down and enjoy due to my dog, Dasha. She was a German Shepherd, just a couple of years older than I, and as an only child, she was my absolute best friend. She was so big, weighing at least 70 pounds, I would try to ride poor Dasha like a horse! We would follow each other around the house, and Dasha never left my side. Source ..read more

Everyone is afraid of something. It is a part of life, but what sets people apart is their ability to face their fears. The great Henry Ford sums this up when he says, “One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.” For the longest time I was terrified of dogs, I didn’t want to be, but one bad run-in ruined it for... Source ..read more

“How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” A.A. Milne, creator of Winnie-the-Pooh, outlines the treasured friendship between Pooh and Piglet. This November, Milne’s quote resonated with me when my family and I said goodbye to my dog, Morgan. The connection that Morgan and I shared comprised loyalty and love that I’ll always cherish. I write this post not to dwell on her... Source ..read more