A Dog’s Purpose
Recently, I was at the grocery store and heard a young family in line behind me entertaining their children while waiting to check out. The mom was talking to her two young children about the movie, A Dog’s Purpose. Having recently seen the movie, I loved hearing the how the children expressed love for their furry friend. It got me thinking about my own dog Cassy, and how much we value her as a member of the family. While she can help clean the house and I have failed at training her to get the newspaper off the driveway in the morning, she has a never ending supply of unconditional love, which is certainly welcome in a home full of five teenagers.
Cassy requires a significant amount of care, since, much like an infant, she can do little for herself. Since marrying Cassy’s human “dad” last year, I have learned that taking care of her not only creates a bond between us, it is not a chore, but rather a hobby, one that brings rewards far beyond guitar lessons or crossword puzzles.
Bathing
Cassy and I share a love of visiting our local county park, which includes a 10k path around a beautiful lake. Walking around the lake is one of our favorite things to do together. She is trained to run right alongside my bike, and on hot days, will take frequent stops to jump in the water, which means she comes home smelling like a lake. I have found that using a high-quality shampoo not only will remove the lake water small, but leaves a beautiful fresh scent and shine to her coat, afterwards. We play the entire time I am giving her a bath right, through towel drying her.
Brushing
As a rescue, we are not quite sure what breed of dog Cassy is, but the vet claims she is a Husky Retriever mix. She has rather short hair but sheds constantly…all over the house. A high-quality brush is critical to managing shedding, since she needs a good de-furring every other day. The brush you use on your pet should be efficient, effective, and comfortable to hold.
Exercise
I easily make my Fitbit goal every day with Cassy, as she requires a significant amount of exercise. We take morning and nightly walks around the block, and sometimes we even take long bike rides through the park or neighborhood.
Nothing is better than pulling into the driveway and seeing Cassy waiting at the window with a tennis ball or bone in her mouth, ready to share her treasure and love with me. She brings an immediate smile to my face, helps release any stress from the day, and is always ready to do something fun during the evening after work.