How a Chihuahua Changed My Life

I've always been a dog person. I can't remember a time in my life that we haven't had a dog. This being said, there are some breeds that I really haven't had the best experiences with. And yes, chihuahuas fall heavily into this category.

I still remember the day with great clarity that it was announced that we would be getting a chihuahua puppy. I was sitting in my room, on my phone, when my mom excitedly opened my door with a mile wide smile. I looked up from my phone with a puzzled look, her whole body shook with excitement, "We're adopting a chihuahua puppy!" she shrilly exclaimed. I felt my heart sink in my chest cavity. A chihuahua? Of all breeds that she could have chosen, she wants to bring a tiny dog that will likely develop annoying behaviors like excessive barking and seems to hate the world? I remember going to school the next day and venting about it to my friends. Telling them that there was no way, just no way that I would accept this. I didn't want anything to do with the demon dog. In my head, this puppy was going to cause nothing but absolute chaos.

When my mom brought him home the next day, he was tiny. I mean REALLY tiny. I remember looking at him for the first time, sure he was cute, but his head was too big for his little body and his eyes seemed to bug out of his massive head in a strange way. I pet his head softly to the approval of my mom, and then I kept to myself away from him. I was waiting for the day that he got more comfortable with his surroundings and showed his true colors. Waiting out each day, knowing that it would surely happen soon. But then, nothing.

There came a day where for some reason, I decided to give him a chance. Maybe it's because I felt I owed it to him since he hadn't shown any signs becoming what I feared, or maybe it was morbid curiosity, either way I'm glad that I did. The first time I picked him up, I was careful because he was still very small at this point, I looked into his eyes for a moment and it was like I could see myself staring back at me. His eyes shone with uncertainty, hesitation, and hope? I put him against my chest, with his head resting on my collarbone, and he immediately snuggled into me for warmth. That was the beginning for us. I'm sure of it.

As the days turned into weeks, and then into months, Boomer and I became friends. I let him sleep in my bed at night, carefully positioning him so that I wouldn't roll on top of him in my sleep. I began playing with him, and cuddling him every chance I got. I would go to school and tell my friends about how wrong I was, that I was so glad that we got Boomer. I was extremely fond of him, and I never thought that it could get even better. Somehow, it did.

Boomer was great to be around, he learned to trust me and the rest of the family quite easily. I never imagined though, how much I would actually learn from him. I've dealt with a lot of mental health things all my life, and on my down days, it's hard to muster up the courage to talk to anyone. For a good portion of it, I would keep to myself. On one of these days, I could heard a soft whine outside my bedroom door. I opened my door and there he stood looking up at me. Once again I looked into his eyes, I saw the uncertainty and the slight hesitation once again just as I had when I first picked him up, but now I saw more of the hope shining through. The hope that I would let him in. I did just that. I let him in physically, and I let him in emotionally like I have struggled to do with anyone my entire life. He immediately sat down next to me, and fell asleep. It was comforting just having him there next to me, that I wouldn't have to do this alone. He was giving me exactly what I needed in that moment. Being there, with no judgment or question.

It's crazy how much he's taught me about giving to people, and knowing your own worth. See, yes Boomer is our pet, and we feed him and bathe him and give him all the basic necessities of life of course. The funny thing is though, I owe him so much more than that. He has been my greatest friend during times of need, he has always been there for me. When I come home after a long day at work, he greets me at the door so excited that I'm home. All of the little things he does, he does because that's what he knows. He doesn't expect me to pay him for his counselling sessions when I vent to him. He doesn't expect me to have treats for him every time I walk through that door and yet he is always so excited to see me. Yes, I provide him with what he needs to live, and yet he gives me so much more in return.

Having Boomer in my life has made me realize that this world is all he knows, he knows our family and he knows me. We are his world. When we're out of the house carrying on with our day, he's at home waiting for his world to walk through that door again. He does this day in and day out and he gives us nothing but love. If this is the only world that he knows, then this is absolutely the only world I want to live in.