Mine is my service dog, because he’s really helped to improve my daily life so much with the tasks he performs. He’s a German Shepherd and I literally love him like a son. He’s my little life partner and life saver. 
My favorite pet was my first cat Smudge. He was a cranky, huge black cat. I got him long before I was married; he was my first baby. I loved him so much. I swear, he could read my mind because he would just appear when I was thinking about him. He had the loudest purr, would hang out on the edge of the tub when I took a bath, and smelled so good. He didn’t like my husband at all. He would attack his legs at night and poke him in the face really early in the morning when he wanted food. Smudgie bear was my entire heart. After he passed away, I mourned him for the longest time. I still get teary-eyed, 21 years later, thinking about him.
@Zeek
That sounds like such a special bond. I can totally relate to losing a pet. I’m on my 5th dog now. Each of them was vastly different: a golden retriever, a pair of Mastiff/St. Bernard/German Shepherd sisters, a Chihuahua, and currently, a 2.5-year-old Australian cattle dog. Each of them was perfect in their own way, so I find it impossible to pick a favorite. Although the Chihuahua lived to be almost 19; we went through a lot of life together.
@Vanya
Wow, what a variety of dogs! I’d love to hear more about your experiences with each. It’s true, every pet brings something unique to our lives.
Probably my 3.5-year-old white mutt we got as a puppy. Even though she acts more like a lazy cat, she’s my first pet that isn’t a fish. I do love our devil cat we got a few months ago too who acts like a dog.
@Abi
That sounds adorable! It’s funny how pets can have such unique personalities. I’ve had a mix of pets too, like lovebirds and dogs. My first girl was a border collie mix, and now I have a mastiff/black lab who loves everyone.
@Milo
That’s awesome! It sounds like you have a lot of love in your home. Dogs really do have that special ability to bring joy.
My cat Fresh was extraordinary. I never understood the premise of Pet Cemetery until he died. He had a difficult birth, and I had to cut his sack open. His mother did not want to nurse him and would dump him in my lap and walk away. We became so close. He turned into a big long black panther, and to see him turn a corner at full speed was something else. He would go for walks with the dog, tap the can opener if I didn’t get up early enough, and even learned how to open doors. I caught him fighting with a chicken carcass one night. He would have lunch with the mailman and was known to steal groceries out of cars, especially turkey. The best part was when we went to my husband’s high school reunion, and someone recognized him from a neighborhood BBQ. He was a magical cat.
@Bennett
What a character! I love hearing stories about pets that have such big personalities. They really do become part of the family.
My 12-year-old orange cat Monster was the earth’s most perfect cat who crossed the rainbow bridge almost a year ago. He was just the sweetest boy; he’d come when I called his name and was almost always within arm’s reach. He slept in bed curled up with me every night for over a decade. He knew when I was stressed and needed extra love. All my coworkers knew him because he slept on my desk all day and would pop into meetings. He was friends with everyone! Losing him was the worst pain and heartbreak I’ve ever felt, and I will never recover. I am so lucky to have loved him in life for 12 years; I wish we’d had a few more together.
@Bryn
I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s so hard to lose a pet, especially one that’s been such a big part of your life. I adopted my first pet when she was 6 years old, and I had to put her down when she was 18 due to failing kidneys. She was a beautiful chocolate seal point Ragdoll.
@Lyric
Thank you. It really means a lot to connect with others who understand that kind of love and loss. Pets leave such a huge imprint on our hearts.