The following is a sad, but true story...

You named me Buddy. You brought me home when I was just a little puppy - cute, and full of fun. I made you laugh and I made your child giggle when I would romp and play. I was so happy, for I was part of your happy family, and my life was wonderful. You'd take me outside every so often to do my "business" and the neighbors would point at me and ruffle my ears and tell me how cute I was. And life was good.

Then I started growing bigger and losing some of my cute puppy ways. I discovered the joy of chewing on things, slippers, shoes, rugs, anything I could sink my teeth into. And my frolicking and playing started getting rougher because I was a growing boy. You didn't take the time to teach me manners or how to behave in ways acceptable to humans, or how not to be so rough with your child, because you felt you didn't have the time to fool with me any longer. I had a few "accidents" on the floor because you didn't have the time to take me out to do my business and I started getting in trouble and becoming a nuisance to you as I began to lose my little puppy charm. And so you sent me to the yard.

So now I am banished to the back yard. Once a day, someone will come and throw some food at me on the cold concrete walk, but no one ever comes to talk to me or play with me or teach me to fetch or rub my ears or pat my head or spend any time with me at all. You are too busy with your lives. So I live outside, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, month after month, and now I have been outside in the yard, ignored, for more than a year.

Chasing Birds

At first, I kind of enjoyed being outside, romping in my fenced yard, feeling the wind blowing through my ears, and sniffing the air, watching the birds land on the fence, and feeling the sun on my face. And I had my dog house to go to when it turned cold or when it would rain. But after a short time, the days started to get longer and longer and I started to feel lonesome, because I missed being part of your family. And for months now, for over a year, I have been all alone - never to be part of your family again, or so it seems.

You don't realize how long the minutes are for me. Although I am right outside in your back yard, I can hear your voices through the window, and every once in awhile, I look up to see if you happen to be looking out at me to see if I'm okay. Every so often, I think I can hear your footsteps coming to check on me, but then the footsteps fade away and you don't come, you don't call my name. And you don't check on me. Or even know that I'm still here - alive - waiting for you to notice me.

Eating Grass

In the heat of the Summer, I long for some shade, so I try to find a spot where the sun makes a shadow and make a bed there for awhile. My dog house is just too hot and I can't breathe in there, or I would go in there for a nap. When you let my water dish go dry, I feel my throat is parched and my tongue feels thick from thirst and I pray for rain so I can drink from the splash guard at the end of the gutter downspout. But when it does rain, especially if there is a thunder storm, I am so scared from all of the lightning and thunder, and I wish, oh how I wish, that you would come to check on me to see if I am okay, to see if I am scared, to see if I am out of the rain, but even more than that, I wish you would come and get me and take me inside and pat me dry with a towel and just let me be with your family for a little while.

In the snow

The Winter nights are the worst of all. I no longer go inside of my dog house, because even though technically my dog house is supposed to be big enough for me, it really isn't. I don't feel safe in there because I can't turn around to make a comfortable nest in there to take a nap. So I sleep in front of it, hoping you will look out and notice that I could use a bigger dog house to sleep in at night when the temperatures dip and there is frost and snow on the ground. I am trying to show you by sleeping in front of my dog house that I need a bigger place to sleep at night, but you never look out your window to see me sleeping there. I'm sure if you would look, you would notice me curled up in a ball as tight as I can make myself, trying to keep warm. My joints are hurting from sleeping on the cold ground.

But above all, I wish, oh how I wish, you would notice me. I wish you wouldn't have forgotten about me out here in your back yard. Every minute seems so long without your companionship, without your love. I try to entertain myself. Sometimes I will chase my tail. Sometimes I will find my empty water dish and play catch with it by myself. Sometimes I will take your child's swing and bump it to watch it go back and forth and I pretend your child is here playing with me, laughing with me. But that's all it is - pretend. Sometimes I bark, hoping that my barking will bring you out to spend some time with me, just to throw something for me to fetch, or just to run and play. But when I bark, all you do is yell at me to scold and tell me to "hush." So, I found out that barking doesn't get me anywhere or cause you to come and see me. Your child never comes out to play with me. In fact, no one ever comes out to speak to me or play with me. Or pet me. Or rub my ears. Or ask me how I'm doing. Sometimes I will look at the neighbor's house and they will come out on their porch and speak to me. So at least someone knows I exist. But you don't seem to remember I'm here outside your door.

Sad

More than anything, I long, I so long, to be with you and to be part of your family again. I'm not an object or a thing. I'm not a boat, or a fancy car, or a prized possession you can brag about owning - I'm a living, breathing little personality that longs for some love and companionship and to be part of your family. Even though I no longer have my little puppy charm, I'm still a good boy and I'm handsome, too. But above all, I have SO much LOVE to give you! If only you would give me a chance! If only you would tell me what I did to deserve being separated from you.

The minutes drag on and turn into hours, day after endless day. And the days turn into weeks. As much as I can hope, I still do hope that one day you will remember me out here in your back yard. I've never understood what I ever did to be treated this way, like I don't even exist. But I still hope with all of my might that one day you will remember me and we can be a family once again.

It is Christmas time. I see beyond my fence all of the colorful twinkling Christmas lights and I hear my family inside making noises going about their lives, getting ready for the Holidays. Even though it is only 6:00 in the evening, it is dark and I have nothing to do but lie here, huddled up in a tight ball in front of my dog house...alone. Again. And it will be another cold night, 18 or 20 degrees, again. You named me Buddy. Is this any way to treat your Buddy? I wonder what is to become of me?

Don't forget me