A dog is for life, not just for selfies

This post is about dogs. If you're a cat person, the door is on the left.

I felt inspired to write this post after watching the YouTube video 'Last Minutes With Oden' which is not only around 3 minutes worth of super hard crying but actually has a deep meaning behind. The story tells us of a man from a troubled life who one day gets a three legged dog (to make the situation even sadder) called Oden. The man looks back on Oden's life and remarks how accepting he was as a dog, this all takes place within the last minutes of Oden's life before being out to sleep after an extensive battle with Cancer. The man remarks on how accepting Oden was, saying how he had lay next to junkies etc and just stayed there. He didn't care about their background or who they were, he could tell if they were having a tough time and would lay with them. I know this probably comes across as SO cheesy, like how can a dog have that kind of sense...however I truly believe they do.

I feel like having a dog these days is thrown around too loosely, all around us there are parents giving in to their whining daughters/sons and thrusting a puppy into their arms to shut them up, why do the children want a dog in the first place? Not because they want a life lesson and experience and want to take responsibility of a living thing. Simply because they are cute. I know that I don't speak for everyone on this however, as I regretfully admit, I am a prime example of this. Ever since I could walk, I would be chasing (as much as I could) after dogs in the park. Then when I advanced and began to talk, I began to plead for one of my own. I remember writing "P.S" notes in the bottom of my parents mothers/fathers/anniversary/birthday cards "please (x57) can we get a dog' until they finally gave in and in 2009 we got a miniature Jack Russell terrier named Ruby Tuesday (after the Rolling Stones song)
And as much as I regret to say it, life with a dog isn't as cracked up as its meant to be.
Despite her endless amounts of love she radiates (vice versa) she has caused great difficulty for our family. We can't go out or away without considering what to do with her, we are always the first to leave parties etc, because she needs a wee. Not to also mention she absolutely reeks to the high heavens of what only my family have described as 'pish' which is a hybrid of piss and fish.

However, after watching Last Minutes With Oden I suddenly looked past the strain and saw how much she has really done for us.
If it wasn't for her needing a walk, we wouldn't have ever gone out at weekends or on a sunny evening. We wouldn't have this small bundle of warm that works wonders for period pain when curled up on your stomach.
I know these are kind of stupid things but also, I'd never appreciated before how much she has actually been there for me (there goes the cheesiness again)
Like sometimes if I'm sick she'll come over and just stand there, licking my forehead and even when I push her away she stills stays.
Or if I've had an argument with my mum which has resulted in tears, she climbs up on me and makes me cry into my neck.
If its just the two of us alone at home and a obscure clank of the radiator goes of upstairs we instantly lock eyes and know that we have each other.
Also if I'm trapped up in my room, ploughing through homework, I'll hear the clatter of her claws outside my door.
It's only now that I'm beginning to realise how much I have taken her for granted as who else would be there for you like that? Who else would still love you relentlessly despite the fact that you shove them away? I know a lot of you are probably thinking 'God' in your head right now, but maybe there's a reason dog backwards spells out what your thinking?
I have zero tolerance for those who say that 'animals do not have souls' as when you look into a dog's eyes, all I can see is love spilling out of them, they are called loyal, not because of their ability to fetch, come, sit etc but rather their willingness to  serve (as I believe it is put in the video) Infact, I think dog abuse happens because dogs accept their fate, they accept their 'master' that they have been assigned to and go along with what they say and even after going through hell and back they are still willing to love, who else can do that?
Don't say Dogs have no soul when they will accept being also homeless to support the one they love, or take abuse and still love the one who is hurting them.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that dogs and owners have a very similar relationship to what Harry, Ron & Hermoine did with Snape. It was only in the end they realised how much they took him for granted.
So the next time your dog has peed on your carpet or poisoned the house with its salmon esque odour, try to look past it, and be thankful for the true friend you have.