I HATE DOGS

I hate dogs. They smell. They bite. They are loud. They need so much attention. To be honest, I also have an irrational fear of them.

So, you can imagine how outraged I was when my father brought home a tiny, rat-like puppy one early morning in 2017. I felt like an intruder in my own space. Apparently, a litter of puppies had been born at his office, and one by one, they started disappearing. Rumor had it that someone was eating them. So, my father brought home the last one. Looking back, I’m not sure if that was just one of those random thing’s parents tell their kids or if it was actually true.

But anyway, I’m not being dramatic when I say my life turned upside down. The little puppy needed constant attention. We set up a bed for him, even installed a mosquito net. We bought a milk bottle and hand-fed him. We took him to the vet for his vaccines.

Then my father gave me an outrageous responsibility: naming the puppy. Now, as annoying as the little guy was, I didn’t take my job lightly. I read books, searched the internet, but nothing felt right. That was until I was reading Dork Diaries one day, and a character named Nikki did something so silly that it reminded me of the puppy. Instantly, I knew the rascal would be named Nikkie.

As the days passed, Nikkie started showing his personality. I discovered that he hated showers. The first time we tried, he got so mad at us that he ignored us for a good two hours, giving us the silent treatment. Nikkie was a master manipulator who refused to do anything we asked unless we bribed him with a snack. He was terrified of my father, but he knew my mom and I were easy to ignore.

Nikkie loved to jump on me whenever I wore a pretty dress, especially a white one. He barked just for show. He wouldn’t even look at strangers unless we were around. And whenever we left the house, he’d always escort my mom and me to the vehicle. If I had to take the bus, he’d wait at the bus stop until I got on.

Nikkie became my friend. Over the years, he was no longer just our puppy, he was part of the family. That didn’t mean he was any less of a rascal. He still managed to be the biggest annoyance in the neighborhood. But slowly, he became the dog of the entire village. Everyone knew him. People waited for him in the morning, just to see him wag his tail and look at them with those big, puppy eyes.

But then, on February 8th, 2025, I was reminded of why I hate dogs.

I had a long, tiring day, and no one was home. I opened the gate and walked into the house, calling for Nikkie. I saw him lying there. Usually, when I came home, he’d greet me by wagging his tail and barking. This time, he didn’t.

For some reason, I knew. I knew he was gone.

I walked over to him and cried. He had died alone, with no one around to check on him. I couldn’t leave him like that. So, I sat by his side for two hours, waiting for my parents to come home, because I didn’t want him to be alone.

But I hate dogs.

I hate them because you made me love you so much, and then you left. You left without warning, without saying goodbye.

Nikkie, you were a good dog. I miss you, and I love you.