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Yes, I’m a dog lover, and I didn’t know it. I had to fly 5,295 miles (8,521 kilometers) to find it out.
I have a small Havanese, and he probably processes English better than me, at least in a more natural way. He was born here, his previous family welcomed him in English, and for his first months of life, he heard English. All the commands that he learned are in English, since we thought it would be best for him if he needs to stay at another home, with other people, or even for the vet. Passersby salute him in English, and he always receives compliments.
Even though he is not a puppy anymore, he still has that magical effect on people. A few days ago, a woman fell on the street (nothing serious!) just in front of us while she was pointing him out to her husband. An awkward moment during the pandemic. Would she be annoyed if two strangers offered her a hand? Every friend or family member who stays with us cannot believe how people react to him. A friend joked about it saying, “You should charge a dollar per photo.”
My mom had a dog when I was little, a toy poodle. She never gave him the classic cut, so he used to look like a little white bear. He lived more than 20 years. I think 21 years, to be exact. She loved him. We all did, but for my mom, he was special. I had to move to another continent to utterly understand her.
Jarvis, named after a fictional artificial intelligence from a comic (suggested by my software-engineer husband), is part of our family, and a faithful companion. A few days ago, I read an article about all the benefits of having a dog, one of them particularly interesting: “The studies found that, overall, dog owners tend to live longer than non-owners.”
I don’t just love dogs; I also love the way that people behave around them. How they tend to change their voices, their expressions. How complete strangers talk to their partners and children about Jarvis with a smile, without knowing him. Even during the pandemic, it is easy to appreciate their pleasant expressions under the face mask. And I also enjoy watching other people with their dogs when I notice such tenderness. It is almost impossible not to talk about dogs—or share pictures—with other friends and acquaintances who have one. And again, there is a sparkle in our faces while we do.
So, I asked myself if I should write about dogs . . . And I had to fly 5,295 miles to say, “Why not?”
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Ana Altolaguirre is from Argentina. Before moving to New York, she spent time in California. She holds a degree in psychology, is an eclectic reader, and includes hiking among her hobbies. She enjoys walking through the forest or on the beach, whatever the season, and her dog is always happy to join her. At the New York Public Library’s Seward Park branch, her teacher is Terry Sheehan.