I don't know about you, but I love dogs. Everytime is see one I stop and I say something like "how cute!" and I even ask more questions if I have the chance to talk with its owner. Most of my relatives had a dog in their house, I did and still do as well. My dog was a few weeks old when I got it and I was 6 years old. Now he is eleven years old.

I missed family and friends while I was on exchange but I missed my dog as well, even more sometimes. It is weird to say probably, but maybe not. I grew with him, I spent everyday with him, when all of the sudden I was gone. My family told me he would walk around the house to see if he could find me, everytime he came back from the park he checked the house to see if I was back. I was the one who took him for walks and now I was no longer there to do it. I've missed that and I've also missed petting him.

My American family had a lovely dog, he was blind but everytime he heard us coming back from school, he jumped around the house. It didn't seem a problem the fact that he could not see. Right after Christmas he started being ill and we had to put him down. It was probably one of the hardest things I went through during my exchange. After his loss, it was weird. It was the first time I lived without a dog. Of course I did before having mine, but I was too young to remember how it was to not have a four-legged friend walking around the house.

My American family loves to have dogs, and because of that they got a new dog in June, it was the cutest thing ever, a little biter, but still cute. My exchange ended in July and so I had the chance to take care of him just for a few weeks.

When I landed in Italy, my best friend was at the airport to pick me up. It was the coolest thing to see her after a year. So when I arrived at my house she videotaped my dog's reaction on seeing me. It felt awesome. He could not stop wagging his tail. Now I spend a lot of time walking with him, he is a good listener ahaha.

If you've missed your pet while abroad, share your story in the comments!

- Cris