Is A Dog Just An Animal?

Is a dog "just an animal"? I don't think so. My dog Hiker is my family, my best friend, my "child". She is the most important thing in my life since my husband Ben passed away. So why don't some people understand that?

Before I rescued Hiker from the shelter, I felt so alone. I was in deep grief from losing my husband. I felt lost. Hiker came into my life and that all changed. She gave me a reason to get out of bed in the morning. She gave me something to love and she loved me back. She gave me something to live for.

She and I are now so "joined at the hip" that I do not like leaving her alone for more than about 5 hours and she won't let me out of her sight when we are together. I guess some people would think I give her too much attention or that I dote on her too much. That I should not let her be the center of my life.

Any arrangements I make, any trips, luncheons, socializing, I make all of my plans with her in mind. I've had a few people criticize me for this. They say she is "ruling my life". That she is "only a dog" and that I should not be living my life for her.

As most of you know, I go to a Grief Support Group each week. Our grief therapist uses a great metaphor. She tells us to think of our lives as a movie theater. We should put family and friends in different sections of the theater. People who are supportive and caring should be put in the front row, but those who cause us pain or anger, or those who bring agitation into our lives, that we should put those people "in the balcony" of our lives.

I've had a few friends who have gotten angry with me because I now put Hiker first in my life. I wonder how they will like sitting in my "balcony".