Saying goodbye, even for just a short time...

I hear a range of comments about me and my dog all the time. Some say we are like "two peas in a pod", "momma and baby", or "Scooby and Shaggy". My boyfriend says I spoil her rotten, and my best friend says that I understand my dog better than most people understand each other.

Bisous, my dog, was given to me by my best friend as a gift during a very difficult transitional time to help refocus my thoughts on something positive. When I saw the litter of pups it was an instantaneous decision that this cutey would be my new pal. Before long, the two of us were inseparable and have been ever since.

The thing about having Bisous is that she cares for me just as I care for her. When I am sad she comes to me to rub her belly and gives me kisses. When I am sick, she lays with her head on my leg, even if she has just slept the whole night. She is always excited to see me when I come home, whether I have been gone for hours or just five minutes. I tell her all my secrets and she never tells a soul or judges the decisions I make.

I could write a whole book (and have) about the little adventures we've had, the numerous activities we do together, or the little quirks that make her more special than any other companion, but at the moment, I am sad that I have to leave her behind while I take my trip abroad. I've only ever been away from Bisous for five days since I got her almost three years ago, and even then I cried for hours before and after leaving her.

Our family, friends, and loved ones understand that when we leave we will come home again. They may be sad for a bit because they miss us, but a dog cannot understand that. So in leaving her even for a vacation, she does not know why I left or why should could not come with me. If you know me at all, you'd know that Bisous rides with me to almost every place I go. She loves the ride more than I do. Bisous will be in very capable loving hands while I am away, but it does not take the sting of leaving her behind away.