Getting a Dog Made Me A Better Person.

Not the kind of blog post you were expecting, huh? So my husband and I are the paw-rents of a 5-year-old French Bulldog, Tego. Named after the Puerto Rican Reggaeton OG Tego Calderon. The journey to getting a dog was a tough one, but here’s an odd confession.

Prior to having a dog myself, I hated dogs and I hated people who had them. I didn’t understand why anyone would want a creature who smells, poops, peeps and sheds in their home. I was such a bitch to anyone who had a dog. If someone had a dog in their home, I would straight up ask them to put their dog somewhere, where it wouldn’t interact with me or be close to me. If there was dog hair on the sofa, I wouldn’t sit on the sofa. I would stand as a form of protest. I would tell the dog owner that dogs are disgusting. Legit, looking back now, I was such a bitch, like cold-hearted BITCH. 

Then when my husband and I moved in together, when we were still dating, and he kept saying “let’s get a dog.” I always would say “never, sorry, I don’t like dogs, I don’t want the responsibility and they’re gross.” Yet, the more I thought of my man, it dawned on me that he never asked me for anything, so how can I be so selfish to not allow a dog in our home because of my own stubbornness. So I said “yes, we can get a dog,” not even knowing what the hell I was signing up for and for weeks I hated the very thought of a dog entering our home. 

But life always has a way of giving you doses of what you need, when you need it most. What I didn’t know is that this creature was about to change my life. You see I started my business in July 2015 and I had gone from working in a high-rise quintessential NYC corporate office, seeing hundreds of people a day to waking up throwing on some sweats and walking to my desk just a few feet away. Seeing no one just me, my husband, my computer and the TV. It was so, so lonely and it took an emotional toll on me. 

Fast forward, we bring Tego home in December 2015 as a three month old puppy and the beginning was horrible. I had NO IDEA how intense a puppy is and the crate training. After two months, because I’m a control freak, I made my husband come home one day in the middle of the day because I was having a catastrophic panic attack over Tego. Over how disruptive he’s been to my routine, how now I’m just cleaning piss all day long. Like crying so hard I could barely speak. He’s like “so what do you want to do? You want to give him back?” I was like “OMG, no, I like him, but I can’t handle this puppy phase.”

Then I was like “wait, did i just say out loud, I like Tego.” At that moment, I realized I was talking to Tego daily like he was my co-worker and he was keeping me company during really lonely times working from home. He gave me a routine with our daily walks. He gave me fun play time to just be silly. Stuff I had never really done. He gave me a whole new community of friends -- other dog owners! 

You see he taught me that being in control all the time is not that cool. Take life a little easier. Learn to be affectionate. Dogs are so simple and us, as humans, we make life so complex. I was in shock that he saw me as part of his pack and it’s so crazy to see this connection with a creature that can’t even talk, but he tells you exactly how he feels. He just wants to give love and receive love. 

And dogs are so beyond intuitive. I believe they operate at a different more awesome energy level than humans. I remember the first time I told him I loved him. You see this pic below. I had a HORRIBLE stomach virus. I also had a business trip that day and I was so pissed because I had to cancel the trip. I couldn’t keep anything down and felt so weak. Yet, the minute I would lay on the sofa, Tego came and plopped on me, like he knew I felt so, so bad. I had never experienced animal affection like that. The thing about Tego at that age was that his cuddles were in 10 minute intervals. But at this time, he laid on me for hours and at points he laid on me while staring me in the eyes. I remember being like “what is that you’re trying to tell me?” and I’m like “why are you complicating this, Lissette? He just wants you to know he’s here for you.” Then I told him I loved him. 

This whole entry sounds like a crazy dog lady, and it’s because I am. I’m genuinely so happy my husband was so persistent about getting a dog because now I can’t ever imagine our home without one. And during this pandemic, oh man, Tego was our saving grace.