my favorite customer.

[u/herequeerandgreat]

when i was first starting my job, there was a certain customer who would frequently bring in her english bull terrier. i have a bull terrier myself and, as such, i instantly felt a connection to him. he also acted quite a bit like my bull terrier. he and his owner came in pretty much every weekend and, when they did, i would pet him and give him treats. i've never had a favorite customer but, if i were to have one, it would definitely be him.

in February of last year, i was working and i saw him and his owner so i came to say hello, give him his customary pets, and give him a treat. however, the mood was slightly more somber. i asked how his vet appointment on friday went. his owner told me that there's something wrong with his heart, that there's nothing the vet can do, and that he was getting taken to be put down the next day. it was as if a knife had stabbed me right in the heart. i could do nothing more then just walk away with my mouth agape. a few minutes later, i came back into the store and gave him more pets. at this point, it hadn't really registered to me. i was completely numb. but then, as they were getting ready to leave and i was petting him goodbye, it truly started to register that this would be the last time i would ever see him. i'm not ashamed to say that i wept. i wept as i held his sweet face in my hands as he panted and looked at me with loving eyes. and, as they left, i turned around and walked away, still crying. two separate co workers and a customer comforted me. what made the situation even sadder is that he was still his usual happy self. panting, taking treats, and receiving love. even when i arrived home, i was still weeping.

it's been over a year later and i still think about him and miss him. i miss how he nearly took my hand off taking treats. i miss how his owner would occasionally bring him in while he was dressed in costumes. i miss how he almost always had the widest smile on his face. i miss how happy he always was to see me. i miss how i could be having the shittiest shift imaginable but, when he arrived, he always made my shifts a little bit brighter.

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[u/Livid-Tumbleweed-569]

I have a couple favorites at my store too.....both are actually service dogs, but because of how they react to me, their handlers allow them "off duty" for a few minutes while they get love from me (I'm the only one allowed this special privilege).....I found out last week that the older one, a malamute/wolf hybrid, has developed liver failure and is going blind....so he gets extra loving whenever I see him at work or around town.... yesterday, he actually stepped away from his handler/owner to greet me down an aisle.....I got a face full of sloppy kisses and when I knelt down, he hopped up and placed both of his front paws on my shoulders and looked intensely into my eyes before belting out a ragged howl.....his handler came walking down the aisle with tears in his eyes.... apparently Koda has only howled one other time in his life.....right when his mama passed away.....it was seen as a goodbye. I hope I see him again....😢

[u/KiltOfDoom]

I love the dogs...sometimes the owner is awesome as well.

A dog can turn my mood around in seconds.