The Unbreakable Bond, Doggo Edition

Amidst the dim, warm ambiance of her dorm room, I watched my friend Tatiana absolutely glow as she told me about her dog, Beba. Pronounced Byay-bah, her teacup yorkie’s name means ‘baby’ in Serbian. “I was given the task of naming her when I was about four… which explains why her name is so silly,” Tatiana tells me, chuckling as she shakes her head. As she describes the tiny pup’s antics, though, you can tell Beba has come to mean so much more in her owner’s life.

Beba, now fourteen years old (After doing the math, Tatiana wondered aloud, “Wow… how is she that old?”), was adopted when Tatiana was only four years of age. Her adoption was intended to help Tatiana and her older sister cope with their parents’ divorce. She told me about how Beba was flown in from New York by an adoption agency and the family originally thought she might not make it longer than a few days. Terribly sick from her travels, the miniature dog arrived to them ragged and weak. After miraculously being nursed back to health, Beba quickly became a pillar of the Klett family.

“She’s like my best friend, honestly,” Tatiana gushes when asked of her favorite memories with Beba. In elementary school, the pair had a phase of learning tricks and attempts at amateur obedience training. Inspired by a dog-crazy teacher, Tatiana had big dreams of teaching Beba sit, roll over, fetch … the works. As an incentive, Tatiana baked dozens of homemade dog treats. Though her master plan never quite reached fruition, Tatiana beams with fondness as she recounts the story. She tells me how over the years her relationship with her pet has become increasingly meaningful. “It’s probably my favorite part about going home, honestly, seeing her that is. She’s so lazy from old age,” she laughs, “so we just nap together. We’ll snuggle and lay on the couch for hours and she just shows me so much love the whole time.”

From our conversation so far, the impact Beba has had on Tatiana’s life is obvious. But when asked how her dog has changed her life, Tatiana’s expression shifts and the significance of her dog is even more apparent. Contemplating her words carefully, Tatiana slowly explains, “You know, she’s a small dog. So when we go anywhere, we put her in a crate while we’re gone. And she could be there all day. But when we come back, she’s so excited to see us. It’s like it doesn’t matter whatever we do because she doesn’t hold any grudges. She’s always so excited to see us.” For Tatiana, the most valuable lesson Beba has taught her is that of unconditional love. With reverence, Tatiana details how Beba’s companionship has been a constant in her life, an absolute no matter what. A feeling often elusive even with other humans, the bond Tatiana and Beba hold is of the purest kind, unbreakable, and based completely off of mutual adoration.

After I’ve already left her dorm, Tatiana texts me a last thought. “Can you use the phrase, ‘Though she be but little, she is fierce,’? It describes us so well.” Though the snuggly pictures may not give it up, the two certainly are fierce. Fierce in passion, fierce in personality, and most of all fierce in their unconditional love for one another, and the unbreakable bond they share.