Backstory
Yesterday, it was my puppers’ third birthday and I couldn’t believe it. In July 2017, my first dog passed away. I never knew loss before and how it made me believe that I would never heal. Getting another dog seemed like a reach for me. In January 2018, we came across a picture of this little tan lab pup with big brown eyes and a secret pitbull smile.
Adoption Day
The next day we walked into the shelter looking for a dog named “Dakota”. As we looked behind the counter we saw this happy, energetic puppy hopping all around. Watching her caregivers complete their daily tasks while spontaneously attacking her toys. It was her. They led us to a back room so we could interact with her. I knelt down to her level and with no hesitation she jumped on my face. Her young teeth scraping at my neck and chin. Joe, my boyfriend, was recording it all and my mom stood watching it all play out. We all knew, within seconds, that she was the dog we were taking home.
Little Did We Know
We adopted “Dakota” on a Friday. Optimistic but cautious about the future for her. She was only a few months old so, of course, she was going to need a lot of training, especially getting house trained. The training was the least of our worries when on Sunday she wouldn’t eat or drink and her stool was weird. We only had her for three days when we found out that she had parvo. She was either going to make it or she wasn’t. Bottom line.
Recovery and a Strong Heart
I wasn’t going to give up on her. We weren’t going to give up on her. I didn’t care how much money it was going to take to heal her. I didn’t know what would happen even if we paid for the best care. As I stare at her now at three years old, I think back to when I thought I could lose her. How amazing and how powerful one’s love for a dog could be. Because when I think back to that Sunday night sitting in the vet’s, after they had just told us that she was positive for parvo. I knew that I loved her. I knew that she had already stolen my heart. Only love and hope would be able to save her, this little innocent creature that knew no fear. We would go on to name her Pumpkin.
Happy Birthday Pumpkin,
Ash