The bond between owner and dog is truly special, lifelong, and can sometimes come at a time in our journey when we feel unwanted. I was at that point in my life when I got Kali.
I was going through a tough breakup, financial and emotional burnout, and just a lot of loneliness when I got Kali in September of 2020. COVID had stripped any resemblance of a normal social life, and my other dog had recently passed in late 2019. The house was too quiet and it felt like there was a hole in my heart that was very empty.
Dogs were always a part of the family, as long as I can remember growing up. There is nothing quite like the joy of a puppy kiss, or an uncontrollable tail wagging when it sees you.
Kali was the last pick of the litter. The runt. But she is exactly the dog I was supposed to get, even though I technically did not choose her. She cried for about 10 minutes in the car after leaving mom, and then she took a nap on my lap. She knew she was safe and was going to her home. She slept all the way through her first night at home in the crate-12 hours.
I've had Kali for 8 months now, and I honestly don't know how I would have made it through without her. She has given me confidence and joy in my life again. She has given me purpose and motivated me to be a better trainer and advocate for her. She has helped me work through periods of loneliness, depression, and anxiety. But most of all she has given me a chance to love. Love for her, love for myself, and love of the present moment that I get to spend with her. She helps to slow me down and not take those precious moments for granted. Those little moments are really the big moments in life.
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