Dear Dad,

First off, I just want to thank you and mom for everything that you do for me and for taking my wants, needs, and desires into consideration throughout my life.  Thank you for giving me an amazing childhood and working so incredibly hard to do what is best for Logan and I. Thank you for always supporting me no matter what, loving me unconditionally, and listening to my thoughts and concerns.  Both of you are truly the greatest, and I wouldn’t trade you for the world, but there has always been one thing that I have wanted. It has been something I think about every single day and have cried over countless times. Now that I am older and will be going off to college soon, you can’t deny the fact that you both need a furry friend to keep you company during the long months that Logan and I are gone.  I would like to bring up the idea of us getting a puppy once again to show you exactly how serious I am about taking responsibility for this commitment. Maybe you’ll huff in frustration at how many times I have asked or simply smile at my relentless determination, but I just ask that you read until the end and truly take my wish into consideration. In this, I will discuss all of the benefits of a puppy being apart of our loving family as well as address all of your potential concerns.

To begin, just imagine coming home from a long days work every day to a puppy so excited to see you; its tail eagerly wagging and loving personality being conveyed just by looking at her.  The joy and excitement she continuously shows us would relax the entire family, relieve any anxiety/stress, and increase our overall happiness. This is perfectly proven in the statement "The human-animal bond bypasses the intellect and goes straight to the heart and emotions and nurtures us in ways that nothing else can."  With having grandma’s dog around for a couple of weeks, you could see for yourself our family was so happy and lively.  Personally, I felt happier and having a companion like her around helped my anxiety tremendously. I also could see that you were much happier and your overall mood was enhanced.

Secondly, a dog is a great motivator to help our family exercise and stay active.  I know how much you love to go on walks, and a dog would be the perfect little companion to do this with you.  Although Mom, Logan, and I can be busy at times, our puppy would always make time for you and motivate you to reach your daily/long term exercise goals.  Also, seeing her so happy will make your walks so much more enjoyable. After doing some research, I found there is new research showing that dog walkers are more active overall than people that don’t have dogs.  Furthermore, according to a recent study, getting a dog increases average walking by more than 30 minutes a week, compared to that of those who don’t own dogs. Just think, since the puppy would always be committed to us, it will help our family fully commit to more physical activity and therefore a healthier lifestyle.

Although you might argue that a dog is expensive, I have the perfect solution.  I will pick up extra shifts at both of my jobs to help with the cost. I want to help pitch in and am willing to invest my own money because I want this so bad.  Additionally, I realize the cost of all of the basic pet supplies (food, toys, leashes, collars, beds) can be extremely expensive. Fortunately, local animal shelters are selling these kind of items for reasonable prices.

So who is going to be the main person responsible for training our puppy and taking care of her basic needs? (bathing, walking, feeding, brushing)  I am willing to take primary responsibility. In fact, I am open to making and following a contract stating all of the tasks I am responsible for in taking care of our dog.  I want this more than anything in the whole world and am willing to care for her whenever and in any way possible. I understand how much time and effort must be put in to raise a healthy, happy, and well adjusted pet, and I am more than ready for the opportunity.  As for training our puppy, Westies are very intelligent and quick learners, so all we have to do is remain positive and consistent to keep our furry friend amused. Right away, we would hang bells on the door for the puppy to ring whenever he has to go to the bathroom.  

Furthermore, you might question what we would do with the dog when we go on vacation or upnorth, and fortunately, we have many relatives and friends that would be more than willing to help.  I know they would gladly take care of our puppy while we are gone, and this would be much cheaper than taking her to someplace like a kennel. When we go up north, we would of course take the puppy with us.  She would love it. Just imagine having a dog by our side when we are down by the lake boating, swimming, and just hanging out.

Now I know you might argue that you are allergic to dogs, but after taking care of Sophie it was clear that you are not allergic to West Highland Terriers.  Westies are considered hypoallergenic because they don’t shed, and as a result; all of that allergic horror stays on the dog. With that said, if we bath our puppy weekly we will be able to keep them clean and clear of the things that may cause your allergies to flare.  Undeniably, this kind of breed is the perfect one for us. A westie’s personality is larger than life itself. Despite their small size, they are extremely strong willed, independent, fearless, and spunky.

What would a typical day with our little westie puppy look like?  As we would get the puppy this summer, we will have all the time in the world to spend time with and teach her good behaviors.  My alarm clock will go off every morning at the same time prompting me to let our pup out of her crate. Her soft whimpering noises and tail wagging vivaciously creating a faint pitter patter will wake me up instantly.  Knowing that my puppy is eagerly waiting to greet me with kisses and love is enough to get me out of bed. I will immediately take her outside to relieve herself and give her more than enough time to go to the bathroom. After bringing her back inside I will play with and cuddle her to instill a sense of comfort and routine.  While eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner I will give her food and fresh water. I will also take her outside for walks and bathroom breaks as needed to avoid any accidents in the house. At the end of the day, I will snuggle with the puppy letting her know it is time to go to bed and get enough rest to do it all over again the next day!

I realize that I will be going off to college soon, and you might question the point to getting a dog now.  However, I think now is the perfect time to bring up the matter because both you and mom need a loving, furry friend to keep you company during the long, drawn out months we are away.  As you will be unable to be surrounded by my sunshine every hour of every day, this will be the perfect solution in order to receive your daily dose of happiness.

After listening to all of my points, I ask that you take my simple request to get a puppy into consideration.  You know for yourself that I have never wanted something so badly and for this long, and I would be so grateful if my childhood dream became a reality!  I do not expect a response right away, I just ask that you take some time to truly think about everything. I want you to envision the exhilarated expression on my face when you decide to welcome this new addition into our loving family.  

Love,

Sadie