The answer for me is easy. They act as our best friends. They love their owners relentlessly until they pass on, and even when they do, you can feel them on-looking from heaven. They don’t ever stop loving. They don’t cheat on you with other humans. They don’t drink all of your beer without asking. They don’t leave for doggy college. They become part of the everyday fabric of your life. They have personalities and egos. They can communicate with you by looking at you. Dogs are the best friend any human could ask for. Have you ever wondered where the slang term “dawg” came from?
When I first got my puppy back when I was 5, Rayna was just a black ball of fur that fit in the palm of my hand. She is an Australian Shepherd and immediately bonded with me and my dad for some reason. She would always bite me and my sister’s ankles to herd us around like sheep. The first night we had her she swallowed a whole hotdog and bun which made us wonder what we had gotten ourselves into. She was to protect our house while we were gone, that was her job. She had boundless energy and a boundless appetite. She made a habit of making sure everyone was asleep before she would come into my room and sleep. Needless to say, we’re tight. She is easily the most stubborn animal ever made. She failed 3 attempts of doggy-training and embarrassed my mom in the process. She did her job every night and loved our family relentlessly.
When she was 10, she broke her back. She had developed arthritis in her hips. We thought it was game over. When we brought her into the vet, he told us full recovery from these types of injuries were not common. She was to be put on bed-rest for 3 months. This is a dog who couldn’t go an hour without scouting the backyard for intruders. We prayed. She got better, day-by-day. She made a full recovery in 2 months. We told the vet she was stubborn.
She became my Superman during those 2 months. I learned my persistence through watching her struggle and ultimately succeed. And then came the day I left for college. I had left for trips before, but she knew that this was different. She would always pout when suitcases came out, but never had I took so many. Leaving my family was hard enough, but leaving my Rayna Bear was almost unbearable. I explained to her that I would be back on weekends. Her eyes told me that she was not happy. She wanted me to stay.
I came back on weekends and she would be the first to greet me. It was something I looked forward to every time I came home. When I left again I wondered if that would be the last time I saw her, after all she was 13. She persisted on. Rayna joined the heavens on June 11th 2009 at the tender age of 17. That’s 119 Human years old. She took a part of my heart with her.
I wrote this not to brag about how awesome my Bear was (ok, kind of). I hope everyone can experience man’s best friend someday. Rayna Bear Verlaney was truly a blessing in my family’s lives. I expect her to continue to watch over me.
Rayna’s Benediction:
My master means more than life or death too me and i pray for intelligence, ability and strength to understand and execute his commands and desires. May our companionship lead to complete understanding so that our moments together will be the happiest of all. Help my master comprehend that i will gladly give my life for him, be he millionaire or pauper. His love and confidence are all I ask. I beseech you to guide him and protect him from thoughts, deeds, or actions which will disturb the faith of others in him. i want my master to be respected by his friends as i look up to him. The wag of my tail indicates the feeling of my heart and no blows, privation or hunger will ever keep me from being happy when i hear my master's voice or footsteps. When the curtains of death are about to close my active life, I pray thee oh God that my master is near-his hand caressing my head as my eyelids close.
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