The Mysterious and Often Confused Case of Tsunami

Prompted by certain speculations that I don't have a dog and that Tsunami is not my dog I feel the need to clear the air. Don't ask why I'm so sensitive about it, I just am. It's like my soft spot. Talk about what you want: my lack of any talents in life, how boring I am, how ugly I am. But leave my dog, my family, and my boyfriend alone. They're soft spot.

Of course, I acknowledge that she's my sisters dog. But at the same time, dogs are allowed to be owned by more than one person. If you have a family dog but its preferred owner is your dad, do you say, "It's my dad's dog?" or is it your dog as well? And it isn't like a child, where you can argue whose the mother or father. It's a dog. It's perfectly possible that it can be SHARED.

Reasons I know she's my dog:

1. When she was first purchased I automatically, at first sight fell in love with her.
2. I've helped train her for general obediance and special tricks that she'll only do with me.
3. I feed her, give her water, and generally do my best to provide for her.
4. I probably pet her and play with her more than even my sister does. No one doubts that. I'm practically her favorite playmate.
5. When she sees me she COMPLETELY lights up, which is strange to say a dog does but its undeniable. You've never seen a dog so happy.
6. I've been to almost every vet appointment
7. My opinion is asked for and is very important when it comes to making pet decisions
8. I'm one of her primary walkers. I pick up her shit in little baggies at the park.
9. She occassionally sleeps in my bed.
10. She follows me around and sleeps at my feet
11. When she had her accident, although I had VERY little money, I gave all of it to her surgery.
12. When she had all those apointments for her surgery who was there at every one worried absolutely sick and had to make critical decisions as to her well being? Me.
13. Who does she listen to more than the average friend? me.
14. I have more pictures of her, have hugged her more, and have worried over her more than anyone else.
15. I was there for almost every day of her puppyhood. Every. Day. She practically grew up before my eyes.
16. I give her baths and haircuts (including the botched mohawk)
17. I know her habits, personality, and idiosyncracies
18. I've helped to handle almost every responsibility of owning a pet: time, money, effort, energy, and love
19. I've carried her up and down flights of stairs when she couldn't walk so often it almost threw out my back.
20. I've been to the pet store more times than I should admit and I've bought her more collars, leashes, toys, uneccessary jackets that she never wears, and treats than is probably healthy for my bank account
21. I know her birthday and I'm actually the only one who even celebrates it. I even get her a present for christmas.
22. Most importantly of all, I really really do love her. More than I've probably ever loved anything (adam and my family aside). The whole world can fall apart,  you can take anything you want: my car, my home, all of my friends and I would still never give her up. If she became a crazy chow and went completely insane and bit me and mauled me to the brink of death. I'd forgive her. Because how could I stay mad at such a cute little face? She's quite honestly my best friend.

For awhile I would sheepishly admit she wasn't OFFICIALLY my dog, I just called her that.
Here are the reasons she COULD be considered not my dog:

1. My sister paid for her. (But how many young people CAN purchase their own pets? If a parent gets your pet is it not yours? If you get a stray for free, is it not yours?)
2. I don't live with her (Although she often spends weekends at my house. and she USED to live with me. and I'm over at her house almost half the time anyway)
3. I don't buy her food (I do occassionally but given financial situations its a shared responsibility)

That's it. Those're the only reasons she could possibly be considered NOT my dog. But enough with that. She is my dog.

I don't claim to have sole ownership over her. She's of course undoubtedly my sister's dog. But she's also Vicky's cause vicky loves her and takes care of her and lives with her just the same. And she's also Adam's dog because he's been half her caretaker the entire time and is the only guy that Tsunami doesn't hate. She's all of our dogs. Barely more one than the others. And so, if I've ever told you that she's not REALLY my dog. Let's really get it out there: She's my dog through and through and there's really no room to argue that.