An Event That Has Shaped My Life

I have a list of pet peeves and dog was one of them. A thing that dogs irked me the most was the time when they were licking my legs and trying to hump me. I also could not tolerate of their noisy barks and strange odor. Moreover, I found it a nuisance when I saw dog owners treating their dogs like their children. I would always give dogs a threatening look, without the owners’ conscious, whenever they strolled past me. However, my feelings toward dog had changed after I served in National Service (NS).

Having been through months of basic trainings and courses in NS, I was subsequently posted to Military Working Dog Unit. I was dumbfound upon knowing that I would be working with guard dogs. I felt so unlucky that I would have to work with creatures that I had been hating, and I also worried of being bitten by them. Prior to our posting confirmation, we were given the chance to drop out. However, after much considerations, I decided to stay partly because I could not bear to leave my group of buddies.

I initially felt uneasy standing close with the dogs and tried to stop them from licking me. After spending so much time with the dogs, I gradually overcame my fear and annoyance feelings toward dogs. Subsequently, I was assigned with a Belgium Shepard named Tikka, and I spent most of the rest of my NS life with her. I fed her, groom her, bathed her, played with her, prowled with her, and trained with her. There were occasions that she made me feel mad, amused, disappointed, and worried. There were times when I had to appease her, calm her, stroke her, and delight her. It had been a great pleasure for me to know Tikka and other dogs and be with them during that period.

At present, dog is no longer my pet peeve. My negative impression and attitude for dogs have completely changed after I bonded with the dogs during NS. I am now a dog lover. I find them cute, loving and sweet, and I wish to keep them as a pet or rather a companion very soon.