I love spoiling my dog.
Over the years I’ve accumulated quite a number of pet toys for him. So much so I’ve lost count.
Distinctively, one of them – a puppy-looking soft stuffed toy, is way beyond its heyday. To others, it’s probably just another piece of junk. But to Jamie (my dog’s name), it’s like his security blanket, giving him lots of warmth and comfort.
It’s his old-time favourite toy – the first thing he grabs out of the toy box when he wakes up in the morning. He wraps his arms around it, he sleeps next to it, he chews on it and he plays with it, sometimes he bites it like his winning prey.
Looking at it closely, the repair works can be easily seen everywhere. The stitches, the bite marks and general wear and tear are all over it. Despite all the flaws, it’s still deeply loved and treasured by him. Because of that, I’ve never attempted to throw it away.
In my dog’s eyes, things are very straight forward. Love is love. I get great pleasure from knowing that I’m loved by this fellow for just who I am, with no strings attached.
We often praise dog’s love for what it is – unconditional. But trust me, dogs are very selective when it comes to who they want to love. They have preferences.
What I’ve learned about love from my dog is: Love isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing, it needs to be suited to the situation, it needs to stay alive to survive. How?
For animals to survive in the wild, they will have to be adaptive to a constantly changing environment or they will be eaten alive! Shouldn’t love work the same way if it is to last?
Undeniably, people, things and circumstances do change over time. For love to work its magic and still fit the bill, it must stay responsive enough to different conditions and adapt accordingly, that way we can all love me, love my dog…
Ted Tsai 