The Best Family Members Have 4 Paws

Some family members have two legs.

Some have four.

And some have four paws, a ridiculous amount of hair, absolutely no understanding of the concept of personal space, and a firm belief that the food on your plate is for sharing.

It’s not Daddy’s.

It’s OURS.

And apparently, that means hers.

Meet Willow.

She’s my baby girl.

My big, four-pawed princess.

Now, there is a reason I got a big dog.

I’m 6’4″.

I would look pretty bloody ridiculous walking around with a Pug.

So I got a “real” dog.

Not a dress-up toy dog.

A proper dog.

A big one.

But it was her birthday.

And she’s my baby.

So she deserved a picture worthy of the royal event.

Unfortunately, I don’t think they make birthday costumes in her size.

And even if they did, I’m certainly not going to fight the Incredible Hulk trying to get one onto her.

So I took my favourite picture of her, one my son had taken, spoke to the evil overlords at ChatGPT, and they produced this.

A picture worthy of my baby girl.

And, if I’m honest…

I think they nailed it.

One Year Old and Already in Charge

If you’ve ever owned a dog, you’ll know exactly what I mean.

You don’t really own a dog.

They’re a lot like teenagers, really.

They eat a lot.

They sleep a lot.

They make a mess.

They get stroppy when they don’t get their own way.

And they have absolutely no problem letting you know when they need something.

The only real difference is that teenagers eventually leave home.

Dogs don’t.

Thankfully.

They just take over the house instead.

You think you’re in charge.

You’re not.

You just haven’t figured that out yet.

Going for Walks Is Different

Going for walks is a little different with her.

She tells you when she wants to go.

And if you ignore the subtle hints, the vocal ones soon follow.

You don’t take her for a walk.

She takes you.

And God help you if you have a different route in mind.

If she wants to go left and you want to go right, she’ll simply stop.

She’ll sit there.

She’ll look at you.

And there’s a very clear message in her expression:

“We go left, or you carry me.”

Then there are the times when her decision-making leaves a little to be desired.

We’ll be out walking and, somehow, we’ll end up going down the same bloody street three or four times.

I’m not entirely sure what she’s looking for.

I suspect she isn’t either.

But apparently, the first three visits weren’t enough.

Now, considering she’s a Great Bernese and weighs considerably more than I do emotionally, if not physically, I’m not entirely sure who’s supposed to be walking whom.

But one thing is certain.

She wins.

Every.

Single.

Time.

Four Paws, One Big Personality

She’s half Great Pyrenees on her dad’s side and half Bernese Mountain Dog on her mother’s side.

So, apparently, in this modern era where mixed-breed dogs are no longer referred to as mutts, she is officially a Great Bernese.

And after living with one for a year, I can confirm that the name suits her pretty bloody well.

She’s big.

She’s hairy.

She’s stubborn.

She’s affectionate.

And she’s got enough personality to fill the house.

I once watched a video explaining the Bernese side of the breed.

Apparently, the Bernese Mountain Dog breed shares a single collective brain cell between them.

I would wholeheartedly go along with that.

Now, I’m not saying she’s a stupid dog.

I know she can be one of the smartest dogs around when she wants to be.

Let’s just say she has plenty of “I hope nobody saw that” moments.

You know the sort.

You suddenly hear a massive crash upstairs.

You go running to see if everyone is okay.

You reach the top of the stairs expecting to find carnage.

Instead, she’s sitting there looking completely innocent, calmly cleaning her paws.

Not a care in the world.

“What? Me? I didn’t do anything.”

And somehow, she manages to look completely convincing.

Until you see whatever she’s knocked over lying in pieces behind her.

She has enough WTF moments every single day to keep me supplied with material for the next six months.

Which, as it happens, works out quite nicely.

Because I already have a page for that.

WHY? WTF? REALLY?

She’s Family

She’s only one.

She’s already taken over the house.

She steals Daddy’s food because apparently it’s ours.

She decides when we go for walks.

She decides which direction we’re going.

And she creates enough WTF moments to keep me writing for months.

And somehow, I wouldn’t change any of it.

Because she’s not just a dog.

She’s family.

And some of the best family members have four paws.