How My Dogs Helped Me Cope With Life

Like every kid growing up I wanted a dog. My sisters and I would finally get our wish one very special Christmas. I remember the day when we picked up our dog Holly and brought her to my aunt and uncle’s house because my parents were on vacation. I remember asking the breeder what my new dog’s name is and the breeder said, “her name is whatever you want it to be”. What that breeder said told me stayed in my mind to this very day because when I was a kid, I could possibly name our first family dog, but as an adult it felt kind of messed up like she never felt any attachment to this wonderful dog and didn’t even give her a name. As my family got Holly and my Grandparents got her sister Trixie, while Trixie got fattened up by my Grandparents, my dog Holly would go through Hell dealing with three children who would fight over her day and night. I would play rough with Holly for years and she would hide from me whenever I approached. Being the smart dog she was, Holly just hid under the bed and eventually I just give up. My sisters meanwhile would play dress up with Holly and she put up with it because she loved us. One memory that comes across my mind is when my dog Holly jumped off the top bunk of my bunkbed and landed on the ground below. She recovered quickly and didn’t need to go to the vet, but it still shocks my sister and I to the core that she made it out alive and uninjured. I could go and on and on with recounting my life with Holly Dog, but here are four core memories of her that stick out in my mind. 

Now this is going to be a little shocking, but the first memory was the day I helped my dog Holly bit the tail off my sister Nikki’s pet rabbit. I was feeling naughty that day and decided to cause a little mischief. While my mom and Nikki were cleaning the rabbits cage, the rabbit was out of his cage, and Holly was locked outside the room. I forgot to mention Holly is a miniature schnauzer, and schnauzers are bred to hunt vermin. My dog Holly had a high prey drive and once I opened the door to my sister Nikki’s bedroom with a free-range rabbit outside, all hell broke loose. Holly chased the rabbit all around my sister’s room and I shut the cage door so the rabbit couldn’t be safe inside it’s cage. Then the aftermath, Holly bit my sister’s pet rabbits tail clean off and I probably need to thank God she didn’t kill the rabbit. I’m not proud that happened and again, I matured a lot since then because I was a kid after all. Second memory, I remember my sister Nina had a birthday party and she and her friends went on a scavenger hunt around the neighborhood. And as most of my family went to join my sister Nina, of course Holly wanted to come with us too. Only problem, Holly was trapped behind an electric fence and she kept trying to come towards us but was experiencing pain I don’t even want to imagine. Then my Dad got rid of the electric fence and now we had to deal with a dog who loved to run away. Third memory, the day Holly killed the class hamster. I’ll keep it brief, my sister Nina got to watch her class hamster for the weekend, and wouldn’t you know it, my sister Nikki teased my dog Holly with the hamster but my dog Holly outwitted my sister Nikki and got the prize. Holly had blood all over her face and felt proud while my mom, my sisters, and my cousin looked on horrified. My sister Nina is still mad at both of us because my sister helped kill the class hamster and I was the idiot who told Nina’s class that our dog killed their beloved hamster. Either way, I jokingly think that with my sister Nikki causing the death of the class hamster, it makes us even for the death of her pet rabbit, but probably not. Holly was no monster. She is truly a saint because she was a loyal and caring dog. Final memory, the day we had to put Holly down. 

Holly lived a good 10 years with my mom after my parents divorced. I’ve been living with my dad at the time, but when we got the news that it was time, of course the whole family came to say goodbye. We had to be there for her, and of course it was a sad day for the Butler family. Holly of course was in a lot of pain and you know when you know it’s time. We all watched as Holly was put to sleep forever and that’s one of the saddest days of my life. After the death of Holly, a new dog would eventually fill the void and his name was Woody. My best friend Woody Dog. I didn’t have many friends and I was going through a rough time in my life, fighting with my parents, getting arrested, etc. But it felt good to have a friend with me. Woody wasn’t a saint like Holly, in fact, I will admit up front, he was a jerk. As I tell people, Woody was raised by two a**holes and became an a**hole by default. Picking up Woody felt like you were Steve Irwin wrestling an alligator. Woody bit, nipped, and was wild. But he showed love to my dad and I, but he really loved my dad. Because my dad fed him a bagel every morning. And of course, Woody went from my cute little puppy and became a fat bearded floppy eared giraffe. I will always remember the day I got my dog Woody and how he and his siblings weren’t very fond of me. I almost considered taking his brother who was a little bit bigger because I am a big guy and though it be fun to have a big dog. But I chose Woody in the end because he was in my hands at the time. I brought Woody home in my winter hat and after surviving parvo, the rest is history. 

Then my dad moved back to New Hampshire and took Woody with him. I moved back in with my mom by this time and we both agreed we really didn’t want a dog. I last saw Woody on his last birthday. You never know when the last time is the last time you see someone you love before they go. But in 2019, I got a call from my dad saying he put Woody down. I knew it was Woody’s time, the poor little bugger had stomach issues and bladder stones. You don’t want your friend to go through the pain. I cried that day and as I write this it still brings tears to my eyes. It’s hard losing your best friend and someone you thought of as your little brother. Yes, I know Woody was a dog, but dogs can be loved like people too. Currently, I have my dog nephew Henry, a miniature schnauzer like Holly and my boy Woody. Henry reminds me of Woody a lot. How did Holly, Woody, and Henry help me cope with life in the end? Just by being the loyal loving companions that dogs were meant to be. Whenever you feel lonely, it feels good to have a furry friend sit next to you or on your lap. I’ll end my article with this memory of Holly. One day I felt sad and was crying in the bathroom. I don’t remember what I was crying about but I always remember this. I sobbing insanely next to my mom, that sweet little dog came up and reached out her paw like she said what’s wrong? Even though I put Holly through Hell as a child, that was the day I knew, Holly really loved me in the end. Because dogs are loyal, plain and simple.