I have had the pleasure of owning dogs since I was a baby. My family has had a Labrador, Bull Mastiff, Shih Tzu, Rottweiler and German Shepherd mix, and now an English Bulldog. In October of 2016, Rosie, my English Bully, was born. Shortly afterward, she found her way into my family’s home, and we graciously welcomed her into our lives. Though I’ve always had a four-legged animal running around my house, the way I feel about Rosie is just plain different. I have learned more from her than I thought possible, and I am forever indebted to her for that reason alone. She has been fueling my happiness since the first day she came home, and the best part about that is she has no idea. So, through the eyes of an English Bulldog told through the words of an obsessed owner, what follows are the life lessons Rosie has taught me.
1. Run toward everything you love full throttle.
Rosie has two speeds: snail pace or full-fledged cheetah chase. She’s either moseying around like Eeyore, or she’s sprinting to get a frisbee, greet whoever just walked through the door, or run to the car for a drive. Anything she loves she makes sure she’s first in line for. She’s taught me that no matter what you love, you should never let anyone dictate to what extent you can express that. I don’t care if what or who you love is wildly obscure, totally unexpected, niche, or simply not what others would want for you. You run toward what’s captured your heart, and stop at nothing until you get there.
2. People who really know you will love you no matter what you look like.
To be completely honest, I never thought Bulldogs were cute. In fact, I thought they were pretty ugly. They’re usually meaty, dense animals with teeth that stick out, tongues that don’t know how to stay put, and crusty eyes that smell. Had someone asked me if I wanted a Bulldog prior to owning Rosie, I would have said “no way”. On top of all their unfortunate qualities, they also have terrible respiratory systems and don’t even really go for walks. Why would I ever want a dog like that?
Long story short, yes—Rosie is a meaty, dense animal with teeth that stick out, a tongue that’s too big for her mouth, and eyes that inevitably get crusty. She, too, has trouble breathing and seldom goes for walks. She is a true English Bulldog through and through, but I have fallen in love with every flaw her breed comes with. It’s not that I love her smelly folds or crusty eyes. I love her big, fat heart and every other little thing about her.
When you root your admiration for someone deeper than face-value, you engrain your love on a level that the surface could never penetrate to. People who fall in love with what you hold in your heart, the effect that ripples from your energy, the love you show them, and the commonalities you share, will never bother themselves with what you look like from the outside.
3. Your quirks are what make you unique.
Rosie is a weird animal. She barks at doors as if they’re mobile, dangerous creatures, which is something she’s been doing since we crate trained her as a puppy. She also hates plastic bags for some unknown reason. Whenever someone in my family puts a new bag in the garbage bin, Rosie goes berserk.
There’s a range of other quirks that make her unique, as well: when she lays down, her legs look like a rotisserie chicken, she demands to sit on you instead of next to you on the couch, and she has an interest in everything at the dog park except the dogs. Over the years I’ve realized that all the little, weird things that my family and I laugh about are exactly the reasons we love her as much as we do. It usually takes time to accept what sets you apart from everyone else; those are usually our biggest insecurities. But Rosie is unapologetically who she is, and I wish that courage was universal.
4. Make others feel included, or at the very least, accepted.
If I’m the only one at home and decide to shower, Rosie will follow me to the bathroom, sit on the bath mat, and wait patiently until I’m done. If I’m eating a meal at the island in the kitchen, she will literally wake up her exhausted body in the middle of a nap and sleep under the stool I’m sitting on just to be near me.
It’s obvious that Rosie does not like being alone. She wants to be where the action is at all times. It would be so easy to exclude her, shoo her away, or tell her no. But we are her whole world. That house and our family is all she knows. If I were to exclude her or keep her from being part of the commotion, I would miss all of the things that I have observed over the years that are the reasons I love her the way I do.
5. Being present is our greatest gift in life.
We all have a finite number of years here. Whether it’s an average expected lifespan of 8 years or 80, one day we will all leave what we know, who we love, and where we are behind. Though I hope and pray I have many more years left with Rosie, she has taught me that every day is a blessing. She has no clue what happened yesterday or what’s going to happen tomorrow. She lives every moment for what it is.
Rosie, my 4 year old English Bulldog (as of today), has taught me more than I ever thought a dog could teach me. So, remember that life lessons don’t always come in a clearly labeled package. Occasionally they come in a slobbering, thirty-nine pound bundle of love.
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