I wrote a love letter to my dog. You should too.

~ March 28, 2022 ~

I know it sounds crazy, but I wrote a love letter to my dog. You should too.

I think it’s a given that all dog parents love their dogs. I know it’s not a universal thing (I make a distinction between dog parents and dog owners), but if you’re reading this, then that means at least you do!

We show our dogs love in so many ways – giving pets and treats, going on walks and hikes in exciting places, and doing all we can to keep them happy and healthy. A lot of those things are very much “in-the-moment” ways of showing our adoration, but there are other long-lasting ways we can show our love that extends well into the future.

I’m obviously biased, but photos are *the* best way to capture that love. Ok, ok, videos too, but photos are a timeless classic that spans any medium of display (can you imagine in 20 years how we’ll look back on our phone backgrounds and lock screens??).

I’m sure all of you have a ton of photos on your phones already, but here’s a little secret of something you can do any time and any where, and doesn’t require anything fancy at all. It’s also something where you can be more direct with sharing your feelings for your dog:

Write a love letter to your dog!

husky sitting in the middle of a dirt road with mountains in the background, Colorado outdoor dog photography, Colorado adventure pups, Serving Denver, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and all Colorado pups; Adventure Pup Photography

The Why

So, why do it? Mostly, because it’s a simple and effective way to get into the details of why you love your dog.

Our dogs do countless things for us – companionship, making us laugh, giving us a sense of responsibility, and generally helping us enjoy life.

It might sound silly to write a love letter to your dog even though they can’t understand what exactly you’re saying, but this letter is mostly for *you*. It’s a way to explore your feelings, establish a little more of a connection, and overall helping you appreciate them all the more.

The How

You can write this in whichever way is comfortable for you. For some people that’s making a bulleted list, and for others, it’s writing a letter to your dog as if they can understand you.

And you can write about anything. You can write about the story of your search for your pup, the day you met, the adventures you’ve been on, and so on. You can also talk about your favorite things they do, their quirks, and the craziest story you can remember of them.

There are so many things you can talk about, and you can make this as long or short as you’d like.

I wrote a letter to Kylo since that’s how my brain works best, but you can use whatever format works best for you. It started off talking about how he came into my life, the first seconds we met, and how he’s been my best buddy ever since then. I still plan on adding to my love letter, because I know we still have adventures ahead of us to continue talking about.

As for a format, you can write it digitally like a Google doc or a note on your phone – that way you can easily keep track of it and even add to it as time goes on. You can also go old school with a pen and paper and write it out that way.

An idea I’ve thought about for the ‘old school’ way is to write your letter, seal it in an envelope, and put it with your pup’s records or tucked away in a place where it’ll be kept safe. You can then read it anytime you’re updating your records, or even after your pup crosses the rainbow bridge, you can read it then to remember just how happy you were together.

The What

What you’re doing is thinking about your dog in the present tense and celebrating everything about them as you know it now. As you write, you get to think about all the reasons you love them, and most of all, learn not to take them for granted.

I think you’ll also surprise yourself with how much you know off-hand, and maybe even remember some great memories as you think back on your history. It’ll also help preserve memories that might fade over time, so it’s a great way to make sure you’re remembering all the details you want to make sure and hold onto.

The main idea behind writing a love letter to your dog is to improve your bond with them. I know we all feel like we’re already super close with our pups, but why not add another unique way to celebrate and bond with them?

I’d love to hear about what you did with your love letter, so please drop me a message, find me on Facebook or Insta, or send me an email with your results!