My Constant

“I have found that when you are deeply troubled,

there are things you get from the

silent devoted companionship of a dog

that you can get from no other source.”

– Doris Day

I mentioned in a recent post that Ginny has become very attached to me over the past five months, but what I failed to admit is that I've become equally attached to her. For her first nine years with us, she was very much C's dog, and to this day, she remains completely in love with him. She sleeps beside him, is super excited to see him throughout the day when he comes upstairs to get coffee or take a break from work, and is usually plastered right next to him when we're watching TV. She has always loved me, too, but it's always been clear that she prefers C.

There's been a shift ever since Maddy passed away almost two years ago, because during that time Ginny has grown closer and closer to me. This has become even more pronounced this year, as the combination of losing Riley in March and me working from home since then has resulted in us spending all of our time together. She follows me everywhere now and always needs to know where I am. It seems like as long as I'm nearby, things are good. This is wonderful, of course, but the few times when I've left the house without her over the past five months have caused her quite a bit of anxiety. It's going to be a lengthy process to ease her into the idea that sooner or later, both C and I will have to physically return to work! I'm also not foolish enough to think I'll be completely fine being away from her all day when that happens!

I've always been so grateful to have her by my side to comfort me through the loss of each of our girls. She's not the most affectionate dog and we often joke that she is a cat trapped in a dog's body, but the impact of her steady presence in my life cannot be overstated.

These past five months have made one thing clear.

She's my constant. And I like to think I'm hers.

Happy Tails to you!