To be absolutely, positively, no holds barred honest, I do not miss having a dog. You really have to be there for them. You can’t decide to work 12 straight hours and not let them out. You can’t forget to feed them. You can’t let them poop in the neighbors yard and not pick it up. You can’t put them in a pen all the time. You cannot be a good dog owner and not deliver for them.

I was ridiculed for spoiling my dog. I don’t think I did. I was written up for taking my dog in a company truck. I didn’t care. I was derided for bringing, or even wanting to bring my dog into church. One cannot expect that kind of treatment from others about our dog.

But I believe Lucy deserved it. There was not a jealous bone in her body, like so many other dogs. She was fearless in her knowledge that I loved her. Eventually, I think she knew it was wrong to be in the company truck. Eventually, she had no fear that I would do my best to care for her. And she was right. That meant sacrifices on my part. Job sacrifices. Relationship sacrifices. Time sacrifices. Motorcycle sacrifices. Money sacrifices.

To be absolutely honest, I don’t want to make those sacrifices for a dog again. The main reason I don’t? In the nearly two years since Lucy had to go, I have never met a dog that pierced my soul the way she did on that Black Friday in 2011. I have not met a dog that made me want to make it mine forever. To me, every dog I have seen, is, to me, just a dog. That is a great thing, but it is not what I saw in Lucy. So no, I won’t be getting another dog anytime soon.

Maybe someday. But not now.