How has your pet brought joy to your life?

[MyFartWillGoOn]

Inspired by a current miserable thread I thought I'd start one about how our pets bring us joy. Yes, I know it's probably been done to death but surely everyone loves a pet thread?

We got our lovely dog when going through infertility problems. We decided we wanted a break from the constant let downs and negativity and to focus on something positive

He is now 4 years old and I honestly don't know where we'd be without him. In that time which would have otherwise been filled with misery, he forced us out of bed, played with us, gave us big smiles and licks and is the cuddliest bear going.

My favourite joyous moment was also my darkest. We had just got news of no heartbeat after being elated and finally getting our first bfp. I sat on the toilet and sobbed my heart out. DDog loves socks. I mean...they are his favourite things ever. After a few minutes of self indulgent crying I looked up to find four socks at my feet and DDog sitting looking at me with the most concerned expression ever. He bought me his favourite things to cheer me up. He then launched himself at me (he's a lab), one paw on each shoulder and proceeded to lick my face and every tear away until I was laughing uncontrollably.

We are now happily 7 months pregnant but even now, when I sit on the toilet, I sometimes look up to find a sock, and he still occasionally launches at me while I'm sat there, just to check no more tears need licking away

Hit me with your joyous stories!!

I swear chocolate lab farts are worse than any other dogs @SpiderCharlotte !

At the moment, the most adventurous of the budgies has made her way into the nice big new cave. She is loving exploring it.
All the others are shouting warnings of danger at her.
When she comes out she will probably fly to ds and then crawl into his collar.

My rabbit loved banana :) And this time my mum threw a peel in the push bin in the kitchen and he came speeding in out of nowhere and jumped in after it. Lid closed on him xD and he couldn't have cared less.

We call our male cat "Therapy Cat" and use him when the need arises .He has very dense soft fur and purrs the minute you come near him .

He's of the opinion that he needs extra food to be able to perform his therapeutic duties properly .

My little dog always wants to be cuddling me. He'll get up on the sofa with me and either curl up next to my legs or put his head on my feet or at the very least put a paw over my ankles. It's like he always wants to know I'm there! He often cuddles me throughout the night doing the same thing.

Both dogs always know when I'm sad and will come and give me comfort. Last time I had a big cry my big dog licked my nose! (I don't encourage face licking as I see what else they lick and she had never done anything similar before).

They also both know when I'm ill and don't ask for walks until I'm better (I arrange for others to do it but I'm their primary walker so they usually ask me).

@ruby1234
I can tell what a lovely dog she was.
I have a black lab, who is the best friend I have ever had. He is kind, patient, noble and magnificent. He is 11 now. He used to sleep in my bed, but now has arthritis so sleeps next to me. He would go with me anywhere, the thought of losing him is pretty unbearable.
I also have two Burmese sisters, who are just gorgeous and I feel so lucky to have them. I had a very cold childhood, and seeing the cats snuggled on the sofa gives me comfort in a way I can’t explain.

Pics

I have a similar story to you OP

In the midst of 4 years of TTC, too many MCs to count and to top it all losing my mum, DH got me FrangipaniDog.

6 week old rescue pup and she was my rock for 15 years, I remember once sitting on the bathroom floor looking at yet another EMC bleed and her licking the tears from my face.

Fast forward a few years to when DS eventually came along and she faithfully trotted for miles with me with him in his pram

I was heartbroken last year when I lost her but her ashes are in an urn beside my bed and I still say good night to her.

DH said no more dogs ever, but the house was WAY too quiet, he lasted 7 months before he relented and let me get FrangipaniPup who is curled up snoring on my knee as I type.

A house is not a home without a dog and there is nothing more calming or cleansing for the soul than walking a dog on your own in the peaceful countryside.

DCat1 (RIP) and DCat2 kept me going through tough times with cuddles, and gave me a reason to smile and keep going through my divorce.

DDog1 (RIP) was my DP's dog, and I got to spend his last couple of years with him. He was the best dog in the world and his cuddles were awesome. Even when his legs played him up and I had to lift up on to the bed 20 times a night he always wanted to be close to me.

DDog2 is just awesome. Half horse. He has licked done similar to OP and licked my tears away and ending in laughing and cuddling him. There's nothing better.

Ddog3 is my first girl, she's so cute and lovely and her little face is just impossible not to smile at.

Mine are incredibly affectionate. They make me leave the house and exercise. They’re extremely obedient and make me proud every day. They’re funny and often cheeky. The house would feel empty and weird without them. My DH works shifts so I’m often home alone in the evening and they’re fabulous company and never want to change the channel!

We also have a sock loving Lab! He's only 8 months and even tho I wasn't 100% on board with a puppy he has stolen my heart.
It's like having a 5 stone toddler but I can't imagine life without him.

SweetPuss came first, she is as aloof as a cat can be, but the honour when she does come and sit by us is amazing. And if I am ever slow at getting up, she will come and tap my forehead, "Hooman? Awake and feed me!". If I still don't stir, she nibbles my ring finger!

SweetDog saved me from deep depression, and like others, DH was abivalent, but is now obsessed! Through him, I met a whole group of friends and their dogs at my local park. And now he comes to work with me everyday and make life better for students. He understands when they are sad and will just lean against them - never better than for a student who had just lost a grandparent. He has the most fabulous energy and make everyone smile.

I only have a hamster (allergic to cats much to my sorrow, and not committed enough for a dog) I think he brings more grey hair though, his current thing to make me smile/go grey is to escape from his cage, do whatever in the lounge and then climb back into his cage (which is on top of the sideboard)

My boy. He's never far from me at home and sleeps on my bed most nights. If I've cried he comes and sits next to me. If I raise my voice teenagers he will come straight over to me and twirl around my legs as if to distract me. He greets me at the door everyday and gives me a meow. We love him dearly.

I was talking to an elderly lady who was scanning the cat food shelf in the poundshop . She said that her cat adopted her and that when her husband ( dementia and aggresive ) had given her a particularly bad time she went and sat on her bad and cried . The cat came and patted the tears on her cheeks .

Oh nearly I'm sorry about the fiance ..but look at the adoration in your boy's eyes!

peridito it's very mutual

Nearly, he is gorgeous! Hope he brings you the love and happiness you deserve.

We nearly lost my beloved DDog a few years ago, she had an accident and nearly severed her leg. I carried her through the woods for 2 miles sobbing and begging her to keep fighting with her leg held on by my top. The whole time she kept licking my hand telling me it was going to be ok. It was, after a long recovery her amazing vets saved her leg and she loved to run another day. And then there is my daughters hamster. I have never known such a little thing bring such joy!

Morph was my first Maine Coon cat...and my soul mate.
I've had cats all my life and loved them all but he was not really a cat at all.. he slept every night with his massive (he was 24 pounds) paws round my neck, smothered me with his body for cuddles and extended his love to us all.
My teens sobbed their heartbreaks into his fur. He died at 1 from bone cancer and I cried more over losing him than I did when my Dad died (unlike my Dad he gave me unconditional love!)

Now I have my puppy.. my first dog, and the the growing love for her is overwhelming. She's daft, enthusiastic about life, so affectionate and that 'whole butt waggle' when I come home followed by a walk in the fields or by the river, is the best end to the day.

This is the last ever photo of Morph, being gently cuddled by my Dd2 before he was put to sleep. We loved him so much.

And my 5 month old puppy... those eyes :)

Died at 12 not 1! But too short a time..and if there is an afterlife, he'd better be there or I'm not going!

My pet brings joy to us, and to the majority of the people who we meet when out walking simply by being a sausage dog.

I have a Labrador too, although she prefers shoes to socks - the numbers of odd shoes that end up scattered all over the house ... 🙄

She makes me happy every single day, simply by being. I love the way she gallops back upstairs after her breakfast to jump on my bed, love the way she runs around like a loon at the start of her walk, I just love her. I spend more time with her than I do with my husband or kids (as I mostly work from home). She’s wonderful ❤️

My dog is literally my soulmate. She kept me company through my darkest times when I had nobody. I remember when I was really ill during the night and spent ages in the bathroom she came looking for me and sat with me (DH didn’t). Even when I was up repeatedly with the baby all night, she could have had a lovely sleep in the other room (I would if I was her!). But she didn’t, she stayed by me.