Dear Valentine: A Dog’s Love Letter to His Person

By: Renae Hamrick, RVT

Dear Valentine,There are so many things in my life that I love. Dog food, dog biscuits, stuff in the trash can, smelly spots in the backyard, sunny spots on the living room floor, my box full of toys, your socks, the middle of your bed, chasing squirrels, long walks, the fire hydrant at the end of our road, hanging my head out of the car window.... All those things are fantastic, but what makes my tail wag more than anything is you, my best friend. I feel like the luckiest dog in the world to have you as my person. This is why:I start my day waking up happy and snuggled next to you. I am thankful that you kept me warm and safe through the night, and I hope that I did an adequate job of doing the same for you. I can hardly wait to help you wake up with a kiss on your cheek.

You always return the love by having a yummy, salty taste on your face and scratching me behind my ears!My day gets even better when you clip a leash to my collar and we go for that thing you call a "w-a-l-k"! It makes me happy that we're connected by the leash-thing, because then I know other dogs won't try to take my beloved person away from me. What makes this time with you even better is that you've included all kinds of flying, climbing, and creeping creatures along the way for me to chase and talk to.

AND you put a fun, smelly hydrant-thing on our road for me to sniff! You must be the most thoughtful person a dog could have.After our walk I usually feel a little sad because you get all dressed up in your suit and leave for a while. How I miss you when you are gone. BUT, because you are so kind, you give me toys to chew while you are away (although they're not nearly as fun without you by my side). While you're away I spend most of my time lying on your blue jeans next to the picture of you, which you hung on the wall for me to look at. The absolute best part of my day is when you come home to me. My nose tells me you are near when I pick up the scent of pure bliss (that bliss is even greater if you ate something extra yummy for lunch)! Then you come through the door and I lay my eyes, my paws, and my cold nose on my best friend as I try to jump into your arms and tell you how much I love and missed you.I could go on and on, Best Friend. You fill my days with joy, and I hope that nothing will ever come between you being my person and me being your dog.

I am here for you no matter what your life brings, and my love for you is truly unconditional. Know that I would run miles to be with you, risk any danger to protect you, and lick countless tears to comfort you. You are my person, my buddy, and my true love. I want to always be the one who makes you smile. I wear my heart on my wagging tail, and I will always do my utmost to let you know that I love you more than anything (even biscuits)!

Love Always,Your Dog