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Challenge: WHO Are You?

My Dog Made Me a Better Person

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I’ve always been a huge dog lover. I still remember always wanting to go over to my friends’ houses to play with their pets because my parents didn’t allow any in our home. Throughout my teenage years I constantly wished I had a dog, but there was simply no convincing my mom and dad. When my husband and I first moved in together, we immediately decided to start a family. Though we often talked about getting a corgi, we decided we should wait and focus on our child first.

When I became a mother, it was truly a life-changing experience. I was so happy that I could spend all day with my son. It felt awesome teaching him new things, reading him bedtime stories, playing games with him. Since I worked from home, I was able to spend a lot of time with him. Nevertheless, this changed when he started going to school and spending time with his friends. I was never the type of mother to hold him back. I would always encourage socializing, even though I missed being around him. At the time, it was hard for me to admit I was lonely, mostly because my husband was by my side.

I was lucky that I got to marry my best friend whom I still adore spending time with. After 15 years of marriage, there are still countless activities we do together on a regular basis. But I got a different type of love from mi child, especially when he was young. He needed me to take care of him, and I was able to express my love by doing everything for him.

Since my husband noticed I was often sad and didn’t want to spend time with people as much as before, he suggested we get a dog to cheer me up. This is something I’ve always wanted, so I quickly agreed and we found the perfect corgi that we named Vincent. After just a few weeks, I couldn’t imagine my life without Vincent. Even though caring for him can be very time-consuming, it’s without a doubt one of most rewarding things I have ever done.

I really feel a special connection to my dog. I hang around him for hours every day and tend to his every need. I’m never lazy when it comes to caring for him. I carefully choose the food he’s going to eat and even buy pet tech products for him. Because of Vincent, I’ve managed to become a more selfless woman. I provide help to those who need it whenever I can.

What’s really amazing is that I’ve even managed to get more work done ever since I got my dog. When my son started going to school, it completely changed my whole daily routine. But having Vincent at the house got everything back to normal. The truth is I got used to constantly being around someone. It encouraged me stay active and motivated. Now, it’s great to know that someone is always home and I can spend time with him whenever I want.

Vincent also helped improve my mental health. It’s worth noting that the positive effects a dog can have on your emotional well-being have been proven. For me, one of the things I noticed is that I now have a better outlook on life. I’ve learned how to enjoy the present moment and not spend time worrying about the past or future.

What’s amazing is that every one of my close friends and family members noticed a difference in my behavior ever since we first brought Vincent into our home. I started to care more about my husband and son, as well as everyone close to me. More than anything else, my dog taught me the meaning of unconditional love.

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