Once upon a time I had a dog.
I didn’t consider him as a pet no, more like friend.

He was not award winning poochie, more like collection of the all stupid stray dogs.

We had many fishing and hiking trips where he knew the job he had to do.
All the wolfs, bears and other animals which I did not like to encounter on my trips… the dog had to keep em’ away from us and he did that work really good.

I did not teach any tricks to him, only the commands like: stay, follow, come.

He always understood everything easily.

We became friends.

I’m not sort of person which calls pets as family, but man’s best friend sure.

After few years I had to join to the service, and I had a problem.

Who would take the dog for so long time?

Surprisingly absolutely no-one wanted to help.

After a while, I found one relative who could take him for a daycare.

Then I got first vacation from the service and I visited the dog, just to find out that they had awful time and relative didn’t like to continue anymore, because the dog didn’t listen at all.

Maybe some sort of alpha-male thing or whatsoever, but again I had a problem.

I tried everything, but there was no-one who wanted to help.

One beautiful evening we were hanging out together in the woods… 
We went fishing and stayed hours at the bonfire middle of nowhere.
I think he sensed that something was wrong, but he didn’t care, maybe he trusted too much.

This was a journey where I did return without my friend.

After this I finished my service and promised to myself: 
“I’m never getting a dog again..”

I buried memory deep inside my heart, perhaps he really was my best friend.

Perhaps with cat the situation would be easier, but honestly I think that if I need protection from the bear, cat must be a lion at least.

Yours. “Heavy hearted” Jay