You know. You know the minute you get home. In fact, if you really want to be honest about it, you know the minute they choose you.

And yet, here she was again, sitting in the car, for what might be the 10th or 12th time in her life. Looking over to her right, she sees the sad, droopy face of one of her best friends. Although he’s always given her a problem going to the doctor, today, it’s as if he knows. It’s as if he knows that this will be the last time he’ll walk through the store, and when she walks out, she will be broken.

She remembered the day she brought him home. She remembers the face that looked out at her from social media, and how she said to her husband, “we need this dog.” “Don’t be ridiculous. We already have a dog. We don’t need another dog.”

“We don’t need another dog. We need this dog.” No matter how much he tried to convince her, in her heart, she knew he had to come home with her. Last night, watching him wrapped up in daddy’s arms, she once again marveled at how much they had all fallen in love.

She didn’t know what it was. It’s certainly wasn’t the easiest process. Allergies, ear infections, just a myriad of health problems came along with this guy. But so did the cutest face on earth, and one of the sweetest dispositions that ever befell human’s best friend.

She loved how he stole her seat on the couch, and when she came over and told him to get off, he slid off and went and hung out by daddy. She loved how he stole her spot in bed, and when she told him to move, moved over just enough to let her squeeze in. She loved how he came over with his squeaky ball and dropped it in her lap, and if she didn’t throw it immediately, nudged it closer to her. In fact, she loved even more how he sometimes tried to throw it to himself. She loved how he and the cat played more like brothers then like animals from two different species, even to the point of having the same kind of markings..both looking like cows. She loved how he raised one eyebrow and looked at her with the sweetest, most loving face ever.

She loved how her husband would look at him and smile…so thankful he’d given in to her.

She loved him so much that she knew when it was time to let go. And so here they were, and she was desperately trying to get the courage to walk through those glass doors. Because she knew that they would be walking in together, and she would be walking out alone.

Tears running down her face, smearing her makeup, she took him foe one last walk around the field near the parking lot. She threw the ball and shook as he hobbled after it and brought it back to her. She opened the bag she’d brought, and his nose smelled the chicken. He was horribly allergic to chicken, and she knew that any other day, she was guaranteeing a sick dog. As she fed it to him piece by piece, and he gobbled it up, she shook with sobs, knowing it didn’t matter.

This was definitely it, she thought. She just could not go threw this again. And she picked up the bag and started to walk him toward the door. Before she opened it, he looked at her…showing her in one look all the love they’d shared.

And with that look, she knew she would one day be ready again to let a pet choose her…because that is how we love best.