Once upon a time, I dreamed about what it would be like to have a dog. I hoped that the dog would come to me, fully grown, fully trained, and known. And then, the opportunity arrived to me in the form of the opportunity to adopt the dog of a dear friend.

And from that first conversation of “what would it be like if I owned a dog,” my life began to change.

6 Things My Dog Has Taught Me

That might sound weird, but for a long time, I was working multiple jobs and struggling to make ends meet. And some part of me was satisfied by that, but when I factored in the idea of providing for another creature as well as myself, I realized it wasn’t possible. I worked so hard for so little. The hope of opening my life to another creature required more than I had. And so I started to dream: what would it look like to have enough for me and a furry companion?

I answered that question little by little. And now, Fiona the Fierce has lived with me for nearly four months. And in that short period of time, she’s only challenged me to grow in new ways.

1. Sleeping is a lifestyle

Fiona sleeps SO MUCH. While I spend hours at my computer, typing away for clients or my own writing, Fiona snores in different locations within the apartment — almost always within viewing distance of me. I admit, I’m a little jealous of her life of leisure. However, I tried it one day, and I got bored very quickly.

2. Always check in on your people

Fiona always checks in me throughout the day, and she seems to have a sense of my emotions, even when I’m not outwardly expressing them. I’ll be working hard on something or trying to sort a problem, and I’ll feel a soft touch to my thigh. (This usually startles me — thankfully, i’m not a hitter) And I’ll look down to see Fiona staring up at me. I can’t know what she’s thinking, but I know that I give her a few pets and then she’s off and away. Apparently, this is a sign of secure attachment.

3. Don’t be afraid to show fear

Fiona is afraid of loud noises: fireworks and thunder. And she has no qualms about hiding under my desk or curling up in the nook behind my giant armed chair. If I ask if she wants to go on a walk, she looks like I’ve just suggested certain death. (To be honest, this always makes me chuckle) But, I wish I were this honest about the things that scare me.

4. Know your boundaries

Fiona knows exactly what she’s willing to do or not do. And gosh, I admire this. If she’s afraid, she refuses a walk. Once, I tried to offer her a treat and I only made her obey one small command, she refused the treat. I was so confused. Does she not want it? But then, I saw how she eyed the treat. She absolutely wanted it so I made her obey more commands, and then she accept it with great pride. She WANTED to work for it. Also, Fiona has great portion control. She eats when she’s hungry, which means some days her bowl remains full for longer than usual.

5. This is Peeing; This is Pooping

Fiona has distinctive squats for her waste removal. I am proud to announce that I can now tell the difference between each squat. When she first moved in with me, any time she stopped to go to the bathroom during our walks…I was probably far too interested in checking out her butt. Haha.

6. Stop and Smell that Blade of Grass

Fiona sniffs a blade of grass like it is a flamin’ treasure trove of Cheetos. Like, please, can that blade of grass be that interesting? Apparently, the answer is yes. If I spent this amount of time on the details of a thing, I may learn something I didn’t know before. While I admire her deep interest in the world, I also get SO ANNOYED by how she stops me so often during the walk. I’m very task-oriented, you see, and walks with Fiona are truly about that one blade of grass (and every other blade of grass out there)…not the destination.

I’m still an awkward dog mom. Why? Well, you see, I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve still forgotten that I own a dog in the last few months. Yes, it’s happened. I made plans with a friend, and then I had to push back our start time because “hi, I forgot I have a dog, and I need to walk her.” Facepalm.

Fiona is pretty awesome. I’m hoping that we can become more and more awesome together. It’s been wild to see how I want her with me. When I think about running errands, I want to know if I can bring her too. And yes, Fiona has already visited the circus with me.