"What I Know" ~from Duke

I'm just a dog, yes. But I understand things. Probably more than any of you realise. You see, I can think, feel emotions, and yes, I do feel pain. That's actually what brings my story to this page. I was in lots of pain, and my people, well, they tried their best. But I'd like for them to know, that even though I'm just a dog, I did know. For example, I knew these words:

"Duke" - this is the first word I ever learned. A pretty lady with bright eyes and light hair, she called me this when I was really little and everyone has called me this since. She taught me to be good, and run, and bring her a tennis ball over and over and over again. So, when I hear "Duke!" it always means something good. "Duke!" I get to go somewhere. "Duke!" I run to whoever says this to me and I get a treat, loved on, or my ears scratched. I think they say it is my name.
"Sit" - now this one I know, I put my backend to the ground & get a treat. Nuff said.
"Stay" - oh I'm not so fond of this word, but I do it anyway. I hear it and force myself to obey. And I heard more often, lately, when my people would go on their runs without me. Its ok, though. It really was hard on my old legs.
"Come" - now this words gets me going! Sometimes, I get to jump in the big red truck and go to town and sit under a big desk at the office, sometimes I get to go on a hike, sometimes it just means I get to sleep inside. Oh yes, I like this word...
"Down" - I was taught to be a very mannerly and good lab, so I know to never jump on people or up the couches unless I was first invited. But I was an extra-good dog.

This is not a word, but I know it really well:
THE RED LEASH - I'm going runnin!!!! And before that silly cow hurt my leg, I was really good at this.
MY BOY - they call him "Nathan." He was the first one in my new family to throw a stick for me, he begged for them to adopt me, & then he took care of me. Nathan gave me lots of ear scratches, he let me sleep by his bed every night. He even used my body for a pillow when he and other boys like him would sit in front of a huge glowing screen & laugh and play games. I would do anything for this boy and he would do anything for me. His voice is the last thing I ever heard, his touch was the last thing I felt. I rested my chin on his knee, felt his tears on my head, and went to sleep. And that was all. I think I had the best boy ever.
So you see, I knew things. It was real, and it was good. My mom owner says that God is real too. This God created all living things and there is nothing made that He didn't make. So I'm included in that, too. God made me, a black Labrador Retriever named "Duke," and I was a unique gift, of sorts, to my family back on Earth.

This is when I first became Nathan's friend ~ he was so good to me, right from the start!