5 Reasons Why I Know My Dog Is My Familiar

I have a dog who's been with me since she was six months old. Once she became a part of my family it wasn't long before I began to suspect that she might be my familiar. I've read about familiars in fictional, fantastical stories (usually about a witch who didn't know she was a witch but now that she knows she's a witch, shit's about to go down). In these stories, a familiar is a creature exisitng within and without the witch as a manifestation of her powers and her personality; they protect her and do things for her, but most of all, the two share a deep connection. #bestpetever

HERE'S HOW I KNOW MY DOG IS MY FAMILIAR:

1.  TUMMY TROUBLES  The first indicator that my dog and I shared more than an inhabited space was her nervous stomach. When she's anxious she throws up. Her stomach is pretty darn sensitive. You don't need the details about my nervous stomach, but you get the idea.

2.  FIRST IMPRESSIONS  My dog does a lot of posturing. She barks real big and raises her hackles. At first glance one might think she's bold and maybe even a formidable dog, but if you take the time to say hi, she gets way too excited that she has a new friend. I do that too, but I'm not gonna' shove my head under your hand for pets and love.

3.  PERSONALITY  This isn't exactly an amazing review of who I am, but, my dog has the same personality as I do. She's absolutely impatient and she's easily distracted by the smallest, weirdest detail. Her favorite hobby is lazily lounging around until she gets a huge amount of doting attention from anyone nearby.

4.  ARTHRITIS  Here's where my suspicions become more substantial. About a year ago I was dealing with a lot of pain, especially in my hands and my hip. My dog was moving pretty slow too, but I figured that was just what senior dogs do. We would both get up slowly, joints creaking and popping as we gingerly made our way out of our respective beds. Once I finally went to the doctor they told me that I have arthritis. In the same week my dog had her regular vet appointment. Guess what? They told me that she also has arthritis. 

June at Owl Hollow. Watercolor and ink on paper, 5" x 6". 2012

5.  KNEE ISSUES  Our arthritis diagnosis was over a year ago. My new achy pain of the year comes from my knee with intensely strained and audible crunching. Around the same time that my knee started giving me issues, my dog had started limping big time. It turns out that she's torn a ligament in her knee, poor pup. I haven't gone to the doctor for myself just yet, but I'm hoping it's got nothing to do with a ligament.

My senior citizen dog. See her white eyebrows?

Granted, neither myself nor my dog display any remote sign of magical capability, but you can't deny our intuitive connection. I know what she needs before she needs it, and she knows what I need - it's instinctual. We're bound together in way that's different from the relationship with my other dog and dogs I've had before. We're part of each other, and if that's not magical, I don't know what is.