I would never have imagined I would meet my best friend in quarantine, but I did. She is white, fluffy, and has four legs. After begging my parents for years they finally caved in and said yes to getting a dog.  Aspen, my English Cream Golden Retriever puppy, was by far the best thing to happen to me in 2020 and quarantine was the perfect chance to get a puppy.

Quarantine was the best time to get a puppy because we were always home. I wasn’t going to school and my parents weren’t going into work so this made it very easy to potty train her. One of us could always be with her, when usually we would have to crate her all day if we were in school and at work. We were able to walk her multiple times during the day and she sleeps in our rooms instead of “crating”. 

She has eaten shoelaces, cat food, and leftover human food, but with us being home and able to watch her it definitely helped prevent her from getting into things she shouldn’t be. We also could always watch her and make sure she wasn’t eating anything she wasn’t supposed to be or getting hurt.  I have built such a loving bond with her that I don’t think I would have been able to make otherwise, because of school, sports, hanging out with friends, etc. 

Aspen has also been great for emotional support during quarantine.  She was always there to cheer me up and listen to me. This was very helpful, especially in such a rough time when it felt like everything had just disappeared and been taken away from me due to coronavirus.

Calming my nerves when I pet her, Aspen cuddles me every night which makes it easier for me to fall asleep. I also am responsible for walking her, so this has gotten me more exercise which is necessary with hours each day spent sitting staring at a screen. 

Every morning I have to wake up at 7:30 and walk her 2 miles. This has benefitted me because I wake up and have a good start to my day and I feel refreshed before staring at a screen for 7 hours. This responsibility has paid off for school as I remember more easily to get my home done and to show up for classes on time. 

Every morning I have to wake up at 7:30 and walk her two miles. This has benefitted me because I wake up and have a good start to my day and I feel refreshed before staring at a screen for 7 hours. 

Little, fluffy Aspen has brought my family together in a way I would have never imagined. Even though Aspen is considered “my dog”, we all love her unconditionally, and we have been bonded together through taking her on countless family walks, teaching her how to play soccer, and long car drives. Through quarantine Aspen has kept our family entertained and I wouldn’t trade my best friend for the world.