Some dogs are big, some dogs are small,
and the best dogs are those
who love unconditionally
and always come running
to the one they love
whenever they hear them call.

Having a dog is a blessing, a gift,
as well as a responsibility -
because having a dog is like having a child,
and when you look into the eyes of a dog
and when they look back at you
with a look of adoration
the feeling is noticeably mutual
and beautiful to behold.

Some people, some families, have many dogs
and when they give their dogs a name
their dogs learn quickly
that they are a part of a family
who loves them so much
that they gave them a name,
as well as a special place at the heart
of whomever their human family is -
and dogs love being a part of a family
because it feels so natural to them
to have a group of individuals around them
who all want the best for each other,
just like the packs of their wolf cousins.

Whenever you watch a dog grow
from being a puppy into becoming an adult,
sometimes you forget that for every human year
that passes a dog ages seven years -
and because you get used to having a dog around
and you naturally provide them with food, water,
and of course attention when they need it,
when your dog gets ill,
or when your dog sadly passes away,
the gravity of the loss that you feel
can be so unbearable that you feel
at a loss to describe the pain
of not having them around anymore.

It’s sometimes hard to put into words
how much a dog can mean to us,
and sometimes it is hard to tell someone
how much a particular dog has been such
a profound source of love and support to us
through good times and through bad times,
because a dog - especially a special dog
who used to come to you before others,
and a dog who used to lick you
like they were kissing the love of their life,
and a dog who used to sleep with you
because they wanted to protect you from harm -
can be what keeps you from succumbing to
what so many people in life have to contend with,
and of course only a dog can give the best of cuddles;
and, with all that I have said and more in mind,
I would like to dedicate this poem
to a special little black and white dog
who was one of the best dogs ever:
this poem is for “Snuggles”.