It's certainly true that the dog is man's best friend, for many people. But for others, that title also belongs to the cat, the canary, the tortoise, the hamster… And the truth is, for any of us, our pet is the most adorable thing in the world. We love them for their virtues as well as their flaws. Some think dogs are loyal to their owners. Others think cats are very independent and somewhat aloof. But what's the truth in all of this? No two animals are alike, even if they're the same breed. Each one has its own personality. Surely, many of them have stories that would surprise us, and no one knows their own animals—their pet, their friend, their companion—better than their owners.What is your pet's story?

Marcial, the friend of our teacher Óscar Cortina.

We adopted Marcial from a shelter in Alicante when he was barely a month old, and since then he's become the joy of our home. He loves being near us, and at night, he waits until we sit down on the sofa so he can snuggle up next to us. What he loves most is being snuggled up and warm, so even in summer, he likes to be covered with blankets. In the afternoons, we usually go to a cove in Villajoyosa and let him off the leash to run and play with the other dogs. Marcial is extremely affectionate and will do anything to be by our side. That's why I encourage everyone who's thinking about adopting a dog from a shelter, because I'm sure no one will regret it. 

 

History of the phrase “The dog is man’s best friend”

 

 

Although the phrase "a dog is man's best friend" might seem like a popular belief, it's not. It was first uttered by lawyer George Graham Vest in the United States. The story behind this phrase is as follows:
Charles Burden, owner of a greyhound named Old Drum, discovered that his dog had been killed. He learned that his neighbor had killed him in cold blood, not in self-defense, and decided to report the crime. His lawyer, George Graham Vest, delivered the following speech at the trial:
Gentlemen of the jury: The best friend a man can have may turn against him and become his enemy. His own son or daughter, whom he raised with endless love and care, may prove ungrateful. Those closest to our hearts, those to whom we entrust our happiness and good name, may become traitors.
The money a man may have can also be lost; it will vanish when he needs it most.
A man's reputation will be sacrificed for a moment of madness or weakness.
People are willing to fall to their knees to honor our successes; they will be the ones to throw the first stone when failure casts a shadow over our future.
The only, absolute, and best friend that man has in this selfish world, the only one who will not betray or deny him, is his DOG.
Gentlemen of the jury, a man's dog is by his side in prosperity and poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold floor where the wind blows and the snow falls, just to be by his master's side.
He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer him, he will lick the wounds and bitterness produced by the confrontation with the harsh world.
If misfortune leaves his master homeless and friendless, the trusting dog only asks for the privilege of accompanying his master to defend him against all his enemies.
And when the final act arrives, and death makes its appearance and the body is laid to rest in the cold earth, it matters not that all the friends have departed. There, by the grave, the noble animal will remain, its head between its paws, its eyes sad but open and alert, noble and true, even beyond death.
The courtroom fell into a profound silence, and some even wept with emotion. The neighbor and killer of the dog, Leonidas Hornsby, was fined $550.

Kity, my adorable little dog

Hi, my name is Karine. I'm 10 years old. My pet is a dog named Kity. She's 3 years old, but she'll be 4 on March 11th. She's a Cocker Spaniel, which is a hunting dog. My sister and I always asked our parents if they could get us a puppy. At first, our parents weren't too keen on the idea, but in the end, they thought it could be good for us, and thanks to our generous parents, we have sweet Kity. Now, I'll tell you how I met her: it was 5:00 in the afternoon and we had just finished school. My parents were carrying a small dog with very deep eyes. I asked them whose dog it was, and they told me that from now on, she was ours. My sister and I started jumping for joy, and of course, we gave our parents a big hug, thanking them so much for giving us such a sweet little dog. From that day on, my whole family loves being with Kity, even my grandmother loves her. Kity is a very well-behaved and respectful dog. She always eats the food we give her when we're eating, just to keep us company, and she's very obedient. When we tell her to sit, lie down, or jump, she's always ready to do it. Although, it must also be said that she is a very playful little dog because she's always outside running around, exploring, and playing with us in our little playground. Kity has a happy face, with deep brown eyes, a very keen sense of smell, and long, soft brown ears. Kity has a warm, soft coat that is white and light brown. In the summer, she loves swimming in the pool with my sister and me. I like to play with her and pick her up to help her swim faster. Kity is very friendly and social with people; when we have parties at home, she makes friends with everyone. Kity is a very loyal dog to me. She loves to be petted and held so she can feel the love that the whole family has for her. For me, she is an adorable, affectionate, generous, playful, and friendly little dog. I have always loved Kity and I always will with all my heart. For me, Kity…HE'S THE BEST PET IN THE WORLD AND HE'S MY BEST COMPANION!

Leon, one more member of the family

Hello, my name is José Vicente. I have a very handsome, intelligent, and agile cat, and his name is León because he has a face like a lion.He's been with us since he was a month and a half old. We bottle-fed him when he was little. When we were on vacation at our country house in Fuentes de Algar, he was in close contact with nature. My parents took turns staying up two nights without sleep so he could get used to the house and us. He's beautiful, with green eyes, and his fur is a mix of honey brown, black, gray, and mostly white. The color of his back is very similar to a tiger's. We bathe him in the bathtub. He loves it. When it's not full of water, I put him in and stand him up; he thinks it's full, which I find hilarious. When he's hungry, he nuzzles me and nibbles at my skin until he reaches his food bowl, so I'll give him some. When we get home, he greets us sitting down and then stands up with his paws raised so we can pick him up and put him on our shoulders. He's very happy, fast, and mischievous. I play with him a lot. He's one of the family!

The turtle of Nando

Hi, my name is Nando, I'm 7 years old, and my pet is a water turtle. I'm going to tell you a little bit about its life. Once, when my sister went to the dentist, they had to pull a tooth, but she wouldn't let them. My mom told her, "If you let them pull your tooth, I'll give you a turtle," and she let them. My parents bought it for her, but my sister didn't take very good care of it, so I decided to take care of it myself. Now the turtle lives very happily with me. It has water, food, sun or shade whenever it wants... It has everything a turtle could need!

Molly the turtle

My pet is called Molly and she's a tortoise. She's 7 years old, eats small dried shrimp, and my mother and I also give Molly a kind of calcium supplement to harden her shell. In the summer, we let Molly sunbathe on the terrace; she likes to be quiet. And in the winter, she hibernates and hardly moves. Sometimes she eats frankfurters. SHE'S THE BEST PET IN THE WORLD!!!

 

 

Hello, my name is Andrea, I'm a student at TCAFMN, and my pet is a cat named Leticia, but we all call her "Leti." She's been with my family for four years, and we've always thought she's a special animal for the following reasons: Six years ago, our neighbor gave us a newborn kitten, which we cared for and pampered a lot. When she got older, she became pregnant and had five kittens. Two of them died at birth, and the other three stayed with us—two males and one female. When they grew up, we gave away the two males and kept the female, whom we named after her mother, "Leti Junior." This cat was like another member of the family; she slept with us, ate at the same time as us, and even slept with me when I took a nap. When her mother died, Leti Junior became pregnant and had three kittens. One day, when we arrived home, she picked them up one by one in her mouth and brought them to my feet so I could see them. A year later, her mother was hit by a car, and we kept all three kittens. Now we only have the female, whom we also named Leti, and she loves us just as much as the first one. Leti has "several menus." During the week, she eats canned cat food with liver, fish, and meat. Her favorite dish is liver with sauce. She has a habit of playfully interacting with people, but only with those she knows. A stranger can't approach her because she'll run away. As this little cat's owner, I've always thought she's special. A dog is usually more of a companion animal, but in my case, Leti is my best companion.

 

MIMI, A VERY AFFECTIONATE CAT

My cat's name is "Mimi". She is 14 years old. Before Before my brother and I were born, Mimi was already living with Mom and Dad. But back then they had other cats too: Atticus, Rasputin, and Sparky. Now, only Mimi remains, and she lives at my grandmother's house. During the day, she spends hours sleeping on the sofa or on top of one of the beds. But in the afternoon and evening, she goes out into the garden and roams around the neighborhood. She used to bring us lots of bugs—grasshoppers and birds she'd caught—and leave them in the middle of the living room. My grandmother would get a little annoyed, but my parents explained that she did it as a way of bringing us gifts because she considered us her pack. She doesn't do that anymore, but she still roams the neighborhood at night and comes inside whenever she wants. When I arrive at my grandmother's house, I know Mimi will appear within ten minutes. She butts her head against the patio door or meows if the cat flap is closed. She comes inside and eats a little. And then she sits next to me or on top of my brother. If my brother and I sit together, Mimi sits on both of us. When we sit down to eat at the table, she jumps onto my chair and stays behind me to smell what I'm eating. I sometimes give her treats, but my grandmother scolds me for it. She really likes it when I pet her, but my father taught me how to do it because before, when I petted her tummy or tail, she would try to bite me. But now I know how to do it properly, and I really enjoy it with her. My parents tell me that Mimi lets me do everything I do to her, but she always wants to be with me and my brother. When I stay overnight at my grandmother's house, she always sleeps in my bed or my brother's. I really like it when she purrs because I know she's happy with me. I would love to have a puppy, but for now, my parents won't let me. So, whenever I can, I go to see Mimi. My parents named her that because when they got her from the shelter, she spent a day and a half sleeping, without waking up. And when she did wake up a little, all she wanted was to be petted.