The Beast. Lil’ Dip. Handsomest Boy Alive. Ma’ Main Man Dip. Little Nugget. Fluffy Puppy. Dip-a-nator. Little Man. Weirdo. 

Dipper.

In case you were wondering, these are all the names of the same little guy I consider my best friend. It is honestly a miracle that he still responds to just “Dipper,” although there is no shortage of nicknames that the rest of my family and I call him. 

If someone had told me three years ago that I was going to get a dog, I would have thought they were deranged. Still, there are times when I look at Dipper and I think to myself, and even say out loud, “I cannot believe that I have a dog.” It feels truly incomprehensible to believe, given that my mom has always been against getting one. 

Yet, here I am, sitting on a chair with Dipper lying next to me, patiently waiting for me to finish working so I can give him the pets and cuddles he deserves. 

When I first saw him, it was as if all the pieces of my current life aligned into place; another piece of the puzzle that is my life found its home, and it will stay there forever. No longer would I look into the space and wonder what was missing or where that misplaced piece had gone. When I saw Dipper for the first time, I knew that I would treasure him forever.

Those first days—when my home became Dipper’s as well, and he was so timid that he wouldn’t wander past our front hall—seeing him made me delighted. Nearly three years later, whenever I come home and see him hasten away from his napping place on the couch to bolt toward me, it makes me feel ecstatic. My love for Dipper grew alongside him—from the time he was no bigger than a loaf of bread to now.

Hearing him cry makes my heart hurt, seeing him get the zoomies makes my heart burst with adoration, and watching him flutter his paws while he’s dreaming makes me swoon. I have never felt this type of love ever before; it is simply gushing out of me at all times. The way he waits for me to invite him before he sits next to me? Adorable. When his eyes droop, yet he refuses to lie down and sleep? Perfection. I have no trouble thinking of additional adjectives to describe him; I keep a list. All of these thoughts circle around my mind at all times.

Three years ago, when I heard that my family was going to be looking for a dog, I was eager. I didn’t expect to be overwhelmed by the amount of adoration that would come with him. 

Second only to love, the feeling I feel the most towards Dipper is gratitude. As generic as it sounds, he has made me happier than ever. I could not be more thankful for this blessing I had never envisioned.