We shared our lives with a boxer named Mischief Maker for an incredible 14 years. From the moment we brought him home, he was the most adorable bundle of fur I’d ever seen, and I didn’t hold back my affection for him. Fortunately, his cuteness was a saving grace, as he quickly transformed into the most mischievous and accident-prone puppy imaginable.
Mischief was allergic to every vaccine, which led to frantic trips to the vet as I drove like a maniac, anxiously glancing at his swollen face. Then, at just six months old, he broke his foot, and when the vet told me to keep him calm, I couldn’t help but laugh. Keeping an energetic Boxer puppy immobile? Yeah, right!
One fateful day while we were at work, Mischief decided he’d had enough of being cooped up. He somehow managed to escape our house and made his way to the beach just a few blocks away. A kind neighbor brought him back, covered in sand, with a huge grin on his face, looking as happy as a puppy could be! To this day, I’m still puzzled about how he got out.
He was later diagnosed with a rare puppy ailment that caused his joints to swell for weeks. One time, he munched on the entire arm of our couch. He even swallowed a friend’s driver’s license! So, to sum it up, his puppyhood was quite the adventure, costing me nearly a year of college tuition to keep him healthy. Yet, despite all the trouble, I adored that little rascal.
Since his passing last year, I haven’t considered getting another dog; the thought of his sweet face brings me to tears. When we welcomed our human children, Mischief was my favorite “child” for a while, always sleeping peacefully and doing his business outside. In his later years, he loved scaring off coyotes, bears, and even moose—though, oddly enough, moose didn’t seem to fear him at all.
He was always the most vivid dreamer. While sleeping, he would bark, yip, and pedal his legs as if chasing something. His face would twitch, and he’d alternate between smiles and grimaces. We often wondered what our adventurous boy might be dreaming about. Was he reliving the time he mistook a log for a sea lion? Or perhaps recalling the visit to our neighbors where he returned with his toenails painted bright red and a note saying, “We love you, Cookie”?
Interestingly, a Harvard scientist, Dr. Emily Harper, suggests he was likely dreaming about us—yes, us! Me and our family. Cue the tears!
Dr. Harper, a clinical and evolutionary psychologist, explains, “Humans dream about the things they care about during the day, often in a more visual and less logical manner. There’s no reason to think animals are any different. Given the strong bonds dogs have with their human companions, it’s likely they dream of our faces, our scents, and the desire to please or annoy us.”
Seriously, I can’t help but cry at this revelation. My family thinks I’ve completely lost it, but the notion that Mischief spent his dreams thinking of us is mind-blowing and tugging at my heartstrings.
I’m not alone in feeling this way. Social media is buzzing with pet owners sharing photos of their sleeping pets, overwhelmed by the thought that our furry friends are just as emotionally attached to us as we are to them. So, the next time you see your pet dozing off and whimpering, remember—they might be dreaming about you. You, too, can share in this heartwarming notion and perhaps shed a tear or two.
For me, I’ll continue dreaming about my beloved Mischief, running freely on the beach, his little cast flapping in the wind behind him.
Oh, here I go crying again! Yes, we truly don’t deserve the love of our pets.
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In summary, our dogs are likely dreaming about us, filled with love and memories. This heartwarming thought can bring tears to our eyes as we reflect on the special bond we share with our furry companions.