I love my family and my friends. But if I am being completely honest, the person I love most is my dog.
His name is Finley. He’s a sheepadoodle, and he is my baby.
The second I walk through the door, he completely loses his mind. Not a normal greeting — full chaos: jumping, spinning, and grabbing my wrist (and sometimes a shoe) in his mouth like he physically cannot handle the fact that I’m home. It doesn’t matter if I was gone for a week or just a couple of hours. To him, it was too long.
And honestly, that reaction alone fixes my mood every time.
Finley is also the clingiest dog I have ever met. If I sit down, he sits on me. Not next to me — on me. He truly believes he is small enough to be a lap dog, even though he very much is not (he’s a fatty). If I lie down, he somehow ends up either across my chest or on top of my head on my pillow.
He just always wants to be near me.
He also loves car rides. If he hears keys or someone putting on shoes, he’s already waiting. If anyone says “coffee,” it’s over. He runs to the door immediately, tail wagging and barking, fully convinced he’s included in the plan.
And usually, we take him, because saying no to him feels almost impossible.
I also love how excited he gets over the smallest things. His favorite game is playing with a partially deflated volleyball in the yard. We kick the ball to him, and he jumps ridiculously high to catch it, then runs laps around the yard until he’s ready for you to kick it again.
And that’s nothing compared to when the pool is open. His favorite activity is bringing you toys just so you’ll throw them in the water, and he can jump in after them. But the second a person jumps in, it becomes a completely different situation. He immediately starts barking, launches himself into the pool, and tries climbing on you like he’s saving your life. He will literally herd you to the stairs, fully convinced you were in danger and he just rescued you.
He’s my favorite little lifeguard.
Being at college has made me realize how much I actually depend on him. At home, wherever I go, he goes too, lying next to me no matter what I’m doing. There’s something special about having a pet, especially a dog, because they don’t care what kind of day you’re having. They don’t need an explanation. They’re just happy you’re there.
Finley doesn’t care if I’m stressed, tired, or doing absolutely nothing. He just wants to be near me.
He’s dramatic, clingy, and refuses to give me personal space sometimes, but honestly, that’s exactly why I love him.