When my younger sister wanted a dog back in Spring of 2011, I wasn’t about it. It’s not like I was anti-furry-friends…but if I’m being completely honest, dogs freaked me out.
I remember being six or seven, feeding a dog named Sunny slices of cheese and bologna at my parent’s lake house. I held out my open palm and closed my eyes as I reached it out to him. I was terrified.
Flash forward eleven years, and my parents come home with this emaciated little rescue Pitbull-Terrier, Flash. He was cute and harmless. He would flinch at doors, quick movements, fly swatters. But I didn’t trust him yet.
It wasn’t until I saved his life on our first walk together, that I fell in love with him. We had been crossing a street and a giant Lab was barking at us behind his screen door. Flash looked at him then back at the grass, uninterested. But the Lab was out for blood. He shoved open the door and bolted towards us, full speed. Did I mention how much dogs completely freaked me out? This had to be one of the top five scariest moments of my life. But I reacted in a way I wouldn’t expect. I stepped out in front of Flash and yelled ‘NO!’ at the top of my lungs.
Little did I know, the Lab was on an electric fence…but the point is, I saved Flash, and thus we became one another’s protectors and friends.
Life with Flash:
This is Flash. He likes to cuddle. And he also likes peanut butter.
Having a dog is something that changed me and made me a healthier person. A dog is a needy, mini-human. He needs to be walked, he needs exercise, and he needs to be outside. When Flash first moved in, I took him on walks. They were the first little steps to helping me be healthy.
Then, when I became passionate about running, I started running with Flash. We would run at night, around 8 or 9 in the spring and summer when it wasn’t so hot. It took a while for Flash to get used to the routine, but he loved looking back at me and panting. He also loved pulling me, full speed, across the road when he saw another dog, bike rider, or small animal. Which was awesome for my knees. Not. 😛
Flash became the reason for my family to get out of the house, to walk, to exercise, and to bond. If there’s one thing I’m thankful for, it’s for how a little rescue pup became one of the top reasons I’m a healthier person. And if you’re thinking about getting a furry friend, I say two thumbs up.