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To All The Dogs I’ve Loved Before

To All The Dogs I’ve Loved Before

Playful barks, cute tail wag, fur stuck on clothes, loving glances, a fluff full of personalities and how they each loved me. I love and adore all my dogs and because of these deep connections I feel towards them, I wanted to dedicate an article to the dogs I loved throughout my life.

My first dog, Jackie

My very first dog that I remember having is Jackie. She was a mixed breed dog whom my father got at his workplace. He believes Jackie was a lost dog and he thought he’d bring her home because we haven’t had a dog in a while. I loved her so much, but I was still too young to take care of Jackie the way she deserves to be loved.

She was the sweetest, most laid-back dog ever as well as a scaredy cat. She was kept as a guard dog tied up to our gate, a practice I now despise, but what would I have done as a young child who prioritized playing and being goofy?

Jackie the dog

I distinctly recall Jackie’s final moments, and even though I was just in high school, I was already aware of how significant she was to me. And as she lay in pain before passing away, I told her that I would start taking her for daily walks and that I would ask my father to give her free rein of the house and permission to share my bed. However, she took her last breath in a short while. I wanted to think that Jackie understood my love through our conversation before she passed.

Despite the fact that I was shattered, Jackie deserved a life free of pain. I desperately wanted to make memories with her, but I was also excited to apply what I’d learned from caring for her to the next dog we’d get. She is forever missed.

The small and fierce, Jorgie

jorgie the dog

Jorgie was a mini pinscher that my father brought home when we still had Jackie. However, because Jorgie was such a small dog, they kept him in his cage the majority of the time. My siblings and I were just kids, and we had no say in whether they were allowed to roam freely or not because we weren’t the ones caring for them.

As an adult, I will never partake in this practice again. Dogs give us their entire lives, and they have a short lifespan. I want every dog to be free and have fun, not confined by a cage or a leash. It’s selfish, and I’m sorry for Jorgie. I believe I had a stronger bond with Jackie than Jorgie. She lived longer in my childhood, but they both died at the same time due to illnesses they both had at the time.

Jorgie deserved more. I genuinely love him and wish I could have spent more time with him. I wish I had known his personality as the feisty little dog he should’ve been.

My best pal, Jack

A teenager at this point, and having lost two dogs. Jack, a Shih Tzu that my dad brought home, immediately captured my heart. He wasn’t brought home as a puppy, but rather as a dog. He was purchased by my father at a reasonable price after the previous owner was unable to care for him any longer.

In light of this, I gave him the name Jack in honor of Jackie. He is my best friend, not a pet, and I love him so much for that. At this point, I started spending more time directly caring for my dogs. I look after them by cleaning, feeding, and walking them. The most lovable dog was Jack. He sleeps next to me and follows me everywhere. When I’m crying and sad, he accompanies me and even licks my tears.

Unfortunately, a tragic accident occurred, and I lost Jack. My sister bathed Jack and then dried him off outside. Jack slipped free from my sister’s grasp and dashed towards the intersection, where he was struck by a truck. When I got home from school and saw Jack, who was dead, I was in pieces. He was my furry best friend and the dog I adored the most. I miss him and wish I could have done more for him.

But thanks to him, the next dog I had the honor to love Jacob.

Jacob Matthew

jacob the dog

My baby boy, Jacob, the first dog I ever considered my son. He was a cross breed of a shih tzu and a pomeranian. I still recall the day I got him. My father and I drove all the way to Paranaque, where I was asked to select one of the puppies. After Jack died, I knew I wanted a boy. And it was love at first sight when I picked up Jacob. He licked my nose after I picked him up and brought him close to me.

I was his mommy from then on Jacob was a whirlwind of happiness and mood swings. He wasn’t too showy, and he wasn’t overly reliant on me. But I knew he loved me the most. I was heartbroken when he became ill, and we went to the vet only to find out he had kidney failure. His body had shut down and was no longer absorbing the medication. I was even debating whether it was ethical to put him down rather than him suffering from seizures.

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But my Jacob didn’t last long. I was sobbing as he took his final breath in my arms. It was too soon, and I couldn’t believe he was in such pain without my knowledge. My baby was everything I wanted, but like all of my other dogs, I was grateful that I was a part of their lives and that they are no longer in pain.

The Fat dog, Jordy

I knew I couldn’t love another dog as much as I loved Jacob, but my father was heartbroken for me when Jacob died. As a result, he adopted Jordy from a vet he knew. I wasn’t ready for a new dog at the time, but Jordy was the dog we were meant to have. Situations arose but Jordy managed to wait for us.

He was brought home after Christmas, and believe me, this dog was smitten with me from the start. When he was a puppy, he always slept on my neck. I can’t help but smile and laugh when I see this happy dog.

Jordy is currently sleeping in bed with me. I am the one who looks after him, and he gets cuddles and kisses on a daily basis. It’s been three years since we’ve had him, and I’m so glad he’s ours. I don’t consider him my son, but he is my best friend who is utterly dependent on me, who cries when I leave and cries when I return home. I adore him, and in memory of all my dogs, I want to take all the lessons they taught me and love Jordy as I should have loved them.

dogs
Photo | pawsome.net

Even though there are tons of other dogs in my life whom I love, I think these four dogs helped shape the person I am today when it comes to my love of animals. As I get older, I think I’m becoming wiser and more considerate of the dogs I come across. No matter what breeds they are, I adore them all.

I used to do feeding with stray dogs, and that is something I want to continue doing once I am financially secure and able to do so. Someday, I’m going to build a sanctuary where the strays can play and not be filthy, starving, or afraid for their lives.

Photo | rover

I love each and every one of them. My dogs will always hold a special place in my heart. I miss them and wish I could give them one last kiss. I am so grateful to have had them in my life. They all deserved to be written about and remembered, for they are unique and special in their own way.

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