When I was a kid, my mom got me a cat. His name was Jingles and he was a diabetic tuxedo cat who scratched me once, and from that point on we were not cool. I only had friends with cats growing up and had rarely ever interacted with dogs – but I knew I wanted one. And once I get stuck on an idea, that idea never goes away.
My babysitter at the time helped me print out dozens of photos of sad dogs to tape to my mom’s door for when she got home and letters explaining why I needed a puppy – I never gave up on harassing my mom and whining about wanting to get a dog.
I was never a great student in middle school because I really struggled to manage my attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) since I had no accommodations at the private school I was enrolled in at the time.
So, one day, I would imagine because my mom must’ve just been sick of me whining about a dog and my lack of motivation to excel in school, she said “If you can make Honor Roll, I’ll get you a dog.”
Game on.
That semester, I spent my afternoons in extra help with my biology teacher, Mrs. Humphrey, until my mom could pick me up after work. I spent hours reading for my language arts class – and I would consider this the catalyst into my love for literature. This was the semester of reading “The Outsiders,” which I immediately became obsessed with.
When I wasn’t studying, I was writing for fun. When I wasn’t writing, I was studying. I wanted that damn dog.
After getting a pretty low score on a math test on a particularly rainy day towards the end of the semester, I sat in Mrs. Humphrey’s room groaning about how much work I had put in only for one test grade to ruin it all. She said, “Well let me pull up your current grades.”
Sure enough, I had made the Honor Roll. I immediately texted my mom, “Guess who’s getting a puppy.” She didn’t believe me and even now she says she only made the bet with me because she didn’t think I’d do it.
I wanted a teacup yorkie. When we went to meet the breeders, there was a tiny black and white dog in the very corner of the pen, away from all the other dogs who were jumping all over us. I was immediately drawn to the little Shih Tzu yorkie. I picked him up and he fell comfortably into my arms – it was love at first sight.
We immediately took him and he sat on my lap on the ride to our house. We hadn’t planned to leave with a dog that day, so my mom had to run into the store and buy food and puppy pads for him. While we waited for her in the car, he peed on my lap. I knew that my lack of disgust and anger meant that I had absolutely fallen in love with this little dog. And, after my love of “The Outsiders,” we named him Dally.
We adopted him right before my spring break, so that first week of taking care of a puppy consisted of lots of potty training. My mom said having a puppy was harder than having a newborn. Becoming responsible for another living creature after being an independent only child and latchkey kid was a learning curve. Taking care of him taught me to be selfless, more responsible and pushed me to grow up a little more.
Dally is now 9 years old and still acts like the puppy who changed my life. I recently went home to Connecticut on a whim just because I was missing him (and my parents, of course). He’s been one of the only constants in my life.
When I cry on the kitchen floor, he comes and sits on my lap. When we’re both home alone, we keep each other company. He’s the reason I sleep in so late at home, because it’s almost impossible to get out of bed when there’s a puppy nestled by your side. As an only child, having Dally as a brother has made my life so much fuller. He also made it easier for me to go off to college, knowing that I wasn’t leaving my parents with a totally empty nest. He practically goes everywhere with us, and if dogs aren’t allowed, we probably aren’t showing up. Maybe we’re a little crazy.
The only bad thing about Dally is that he won’t live forever, and I’ll probably never meet another dog like him. Next to my family, boyfriend and best friends, Dally is one of the most important things in my life. I consistently made Honor Roll after getting Dally, and have consistently made the Dean’s and Provost’s lists in college. I attribute my love for learning and responsibility to him, regardless of him being a 12-pound fur ball who can’t talk back to me. Or read this.
