In our household, we have two dogs with very different personalities.
Maisie is a Pomeranian and, like most Poms, is distinctly high maintenance.She doesn't just think of herself as a princess, she is a princess, and we have to do everything for her or pay the price. For example, She has just barked at me to go out, and I have had to patiently wait until she has done her business, reward her with a treat and make a fuss of her. If she does not get this attention, she will follow me everywhere, head tilted as if I have gotten something wrong.
When resting, Maisie chooses a position that best displays her beauty and willingly invites you to look at her. You take your chances if you want a stroke, though, as if she is not in the mood, she will make it known! She is a diva and the object of much family amusement.
Hank is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel whom we rescued from a puppy farm during lockdown. This sounds heroic, but in truth, we answered an advert and visited the breeder, only to be confronted with appalling conditions. Rather than walk away, we could not possibly leave him there, so we paid the money and took him home that day.
Hank is the opposite of Maisie in that he is very laid back. He often looks at Maisie with concern when she is yapping and drawing attention to herself. In fact, his look of concern seems to be his resting face.
From the moment he came into the house, Hank has been my shadow. I work from home, and he solemnly follows me, room to room, without fail. He even waits outside the toilet for me, looking even more concerned when I finally emerge! When I am on the sofa, he will lean against me contentedly, and if I am not paying him enough attention, he will batter my phone out of my hand.
Since picking up Hank, I have been through a difficult period of my life, contracting Long Covid and then having to give up work. Mysteriously, Hank seems to have developed all of the same symptoms, much to our vet’s puzzlement.
For example, my mobility is significantly reduced, and I often need to use a wheelchair or mobility scooter. I find walking painful, and I get fatigued very quickly. Over the past few years, Hank has made it clear that he also finds walking tough at times, with stiff limbs and a strange walking style. His symptoms seem to coincide with my own worst days. I have been to the vet multiple times, but they cannot yet identify why this happens. We look like a peculiar pair, hobbling down the street together!
On the days when fatigue wins and I cannot do much, Hank is my ever-present companion and does not move from the sofa. He sleeps as much as I doand his company lifts my soul, especially during the day when the rest of the family is out.
My cognitive ability has declined with Long Covid, and sometimes the simplest things confuse me. So it is with Hank, who can suddenly act completely mystified by mundane occurrences. For example, last week, I was having a particularly bad cognitive day, and I threw a toy for him to fetch, something he does daily. On that occasion, though, he looked at me and then the toy, puzzled, before searching the whole house for it, even though it was clearly on display in the middle of the room!
As the years have rolled by since my Covid infection, and the symptoms of Long Covid remain, it is fair to say that Hank seems to mimic the physical symptoms I have. I have not heard of dogs doing this before or why, but it has bonded us together, and it feels as if we are sharing the burden. I hope that as I begin to recover, Hank will also recover with me. It has helped me realise the power of pets, they connect with us in ways we do not fully understand.
Who would have thought that the little fluff ball we picked up during lockdown would have such an impact on my life? I am thankful for his presence and support, and I look forward to seeing more of his concerned face in the coming year.
Paul Clarke is a writer and has written two books, one about his struggles with Long Covid and a novella. He also hosts a podcast which focuses on how it feels to live with a chronic illness.