I love dogs. A LOT. I take a liking to most dogs. Friend's dogs, homeless dogs, stranger's dogs...But my dog was honestly the best dog ever. It has taken me this long to write anything because it honestly was like losing a sibling. We had to put Riley to sleep the week before Christmas and I would say that as a family, it was the hardest thing we've ever had to do. We had talked about this day for years, and most recently the last few months, but that didn't make it any easier. We used to joke that we may need family counseling when he dies and we honestly weren't too far from it!
The weird thing about a dog is that they truly become part of your family. I was 14 when we got Riley. That is half of my life! We look back at pictures of when he was a puppy and we were so young! It's hard to believe that we had him for that long, but at the same time, I can't remember not having him.
I think my mom said it best when she said that getting us that dog was the best thing may parents ever did because it teaches children a love that they never knew existed. He truly was a part of family and will truly be missed!
