Dear 14 year old Sadie,
When you woke up in your cool, dark room this morning, the house was silent except for the faint sound of your mom shuffling around in her office. The quiet ping of the zoom startup jolts your dog awake. He stretches his dirty blonde body out of his crate and stands on his hind legs with his front legs supported by the edge of the bed. He barks softly, enough to let you know he’s ready to go outside, but quietly enough to not interfere with your mom’s zoom.
I remember those simple days of online school during Covid. We initially purchased Puppy (best name for a dog ever) in 2014 for my great aunt. She took care of Puppy until early 2020 before she fell ill and passed away. We picked him up from Wilmington, NC that spring, and you’ve been obsessed with him ever since.
Because you took him in right before school shut down, you two spend a lot of time together in the house. He goes out in the morning, eats his breakfast, and takes a long nap while you do school work. Maybe when you finish today you’ll go on a nice walk in the neighborhood or drive to the Eno River State Park.
Puppy is very accustomed to this routine. Let me guess, when you leave the house during the day without him he experiences severe separation anxiety, right? Even if someone else is there with him. I remember leaving the house to go take an exam and Puppy went absolutely berserk. Puppy is super attached, can you imagine how things will change when school returns to in-person?
I’ll give you a sneak peek. You’ll both feel very nervous and alone on your first day of in-person school. You’ll want to run back home to Puppy, and I don’t blame you. Things were so simple during online school.
This is a huge transition. Both you and Puppy are experiencing an amalgamation of emotions; anxiety, fear, and loneliness. This probably sounds ridiculous to you, but you both will work through it and improve.
Now when I leave for school, Puppy is much more calm and content. He’ll usually lay down to take a nap after breakfast. When I check my camera (yes you finally bought that camera!) he’ll be playing with a toy, licking himself, eating, or looking out the window. A stark contrast from years prior when he would bark, yelp, and whine for seven hours straight.
Puppy has been such an essential part of our high school experience. Puppy has been such a supportive friend and companion. He keeps us responsible, accountable, and attentive. He’s something I look forward to everyday.
Continue to love him Sadie, even when he pees on the floor or won’t stop sniffing other dogs’ butts. Cherish the moments you have with not only him, but your family. The bonds we make during difficult times or through major transitions are everlasting, regardless of the separate paths we may take.
Love, your bestie
Sadie
