We once had a boxer named Wild Mischief, and he filled our lives with joy for 14 incredible years. From the moment we brought him home, he was the most adorable bundle of fur I’d ever seen, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I was smitten. Thankfully, his cuteness was a saving grace because he quickly transformed into the most mischievous and clumsy puppy imaginable.
Wild Mischief was allergic to every vaccine, which meant countless frantic drives to the vet as we rushed him there with his swollen little face. To make matters worse, he broke his foot at just six months old, and the vet told us to keep him calm. I couldn’t help but laugh—keeping a hyperactive Boxer puppy still is about as easy as herding cats.
One day, while we were at work, Mischief decided he had had enough of his confinement. He somehow managed to escape our house and made his way to the beach, just a few blocks away. A neighbor who recognized him brought him back, covered in sand with his tongue hanging out, looking as happy as a naughty puppy could be. To this day, I’m baffled at how he got out.
He was later diagnosed with a rare puppy ailment that caused his joints to swell for weeks. He once chewed off an entire couch arm and even swallowed a friend’s driver’s license. In short, his puppyhood was quite the adventure, and I could have probably financed a semester of college with the vet bills.
Despite all the trouble, he was my baby. After he passed last year, I found it impossible to contemplate getting another dog. Just thinking about his sweet face brings me to tears. When we had our human kids, Mischief was my favorite for a good while—he always slept soundly and never missed the potty. As he aged, he found joy in scaring off all sorts of wildlife in the mountains, although his attempts to intimidate moose were laughably futile.
Mischief was an avid dreamer, barking and running in his sleep, his legs pedaling as if he were in a race. We often speculated about what our wild child was dreaming about. Perhaps he was rehashing the time he was startled to discover that a log was actually a sea lion? Or maybe he was reminiscing about the time he returned from a neighbor’s house with his nails painted bright red and a note that read, “We love you, Cookie”?
According to Dr. Emily Carter, a clinical psychologist at Harvard, it’s likely he was dreaming about us—yes, you heard that right, US! Dr. Carter explains, “Just as humans dream about things that fascinate them during the day, animals do too. Since dogs form strong bonds with their owners, it’s likely that your dog dreams of your face, your scent, and the ways they can either please or annoy you.” I mean, can you even handle that level of heartwarming? My family thinks I’ve lost it.
The thought that Mischief spent his nights dreaming of us is both astonishing and heartbreaking. I’m definitely not alone in feeling this way; social media is buzzing with pet owners sharing photos of their sleeping companions, and many are moved by the realization that our pets are just as emotionally connected to us as we are to them.
So, the next time you catch your furry friend snoozing and making little noises, just remember—they could very well be dreaming of you. And if you’re anything like me, prepare for the tears and joy that come with that realization.
For now, I’ll settle for dreaming of that one extraordinary dog, running freely along the beach with his cast fluttering in the wind behind him. Yep, here come the tears again. We truly don’t deserve them.
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Summary: The article reflects on the author’s beloved dog, Wild Mischief, sharing humorous and heartfelt anecdotes about their experiences together. It explores the emotional connections between pets and their owners, highlighting insights from a Harvard psychologist about what dogs might dream of, particularly their family. The piece concludes with links to resources for home insemination, keeping the audience engaged.