How Getting a Dog Made Me a Better Human

I have never been a dog person.  I am horribly allergic to cats, and on doctor’s orders, my family didn’t get a dog in case I developed an allergy to them as well.  So when I got married to my dog-loving, dog-wrestling, and dog-snuggling husband, I had a feeling we’d have to meet in the middle somewhere.  That somewhere came in the form of a sweet little black lab puppy named Olive.

We thought for months about adopting breeds of all kinds and were nervous to adopt from a shelter because it was a little unpredictable. This was a dog that we would bring babies home to, that our children would grow up with, and we wanted a dog who we would feel safe having around our future little ones.   We ooh-ed and aah-ed over sweet puppies on shelter/rescue websites, and even got in contact with a few different breeders of labradoodles and whoodles, but couldn’t make up our minds if we were ready.

I had all sorts of irrational fears about getting a dog.  I was afraid that the dog would somehow go back to its animal instincts and attack me  in the middle of the night (I know….absurd.  Can you tell I’d never had a pet?).  I was afraid it would destroy our house, my clothes, all my favorite things.  Perhaps most importantly, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to love it like I hoped.  I was scared I would tolerate having a little creature running around the house, but I wouldn’t experience the connection and love that people describe having with their animals.

Holy moly….I could not have been more wrong.

The original picture from the Midwest Animal Resq website

When we saw little Olive on the website for Midwest Animal Resq, we decided to take a risk and drive out to meet her.  It was love at first snuggle!  Erin, the leading lady of Midwest Animal Resq, helped us through the adoption process, gave us some good advice, and then sent us home with a squirmy little puppy in our arms.

Sweet little Olive, you have transformed our family in the best of ways.  Even though we have no idea what kind of dog you are (we think lab and spaniel of some sort), you seem to have inherited the best qualities in all dogs EVER.  You are sweet, loving, and I’m pretty sure  your little brown eyes have the power to see into my soul.  You have the softest fur and fluffiest tail I’ve ever seen, which makes petting you a therapeutic experience for all parties involved.

Thank you for being so excited to see me in the mornings that your tail wag becomes a whole body shimmy-shake worthy of your middle name (Olive Beyoncé English).  Thanks for loving my morning breath, giving me ear kisses, and sitting on my feet as I try to get ready for work.

Thanks for reminding me that the world outside our front door is beautiful and full of things to explore and roll around in and try to eat (Remember that one time I pulled a piece of dog poop out of your mouth? Definitely not one of my proudest moments, but I love ya anyway).  We love it when you leap outside and start rolling on your back with all paws in the air, soaking in the sun and “rejoicing,” as our good friend Sierra once called it.  You give me a reason to step outside each day, and I love the time we spend exploring together.

Olive, thanks for always being a source of joy and love, even when it has been a challenging season in our marriage.  When we were in the middle of  hard conversations or when I was wrestling with depression this last year, your sweet snuggles with your head on my lap, sprawled across the sofa, comforted me and made me laugh.  You make me feel less alone in the world, and I’m grateful for that.

Thank you for always wanting to be close to your people, even if it means sitting on my feet while I brush my teeth, following me around as I unload the dishwasher, or putting your head on the center console during road trips.  You remind me that sometimes what matters the most is just being there, even if nothing is said.

Olive, Jordan and I like to joke that I was a Grinch before I met you, because you have made my heart grow at least five sizes bigger.  I look at you and my heart overflows.  You’ve made me a more joyful, loving, and playful person, and I can’t even remember what our family was like without you!  You have made me a better human, and I couldn’t be happier to be your puppy mama. So even though I don’t have any human children yet…I’m pretty happy to celebrate a Mother’s Day being your puppy mama!

A Sidenote…

Jordan and I can’t say enough what a great experience we had adopting our sweet girl from Midwest Animal Resq.  They take in dogs of all ages, shapes, sizes, and medical conditions and do all they can to put them in loving homes.  Follow them on Facebook to see all their adorable puppy pics and constantly tempt yourself that you can totally adopt another dog, right? (Oh wait, is that just me?).

And really….we can’t encourage you enough to adopt.  Find a few breeds you like and think would generally work for your family, and I can almost guarantee you’ll find some mix of that at a local shelter if you wait long enough.  There are so many dogs out there who need homes, and adopting Olive has convinced me that taking in a dog who needs a family is the best way to go.  If you’re lucky, you’ll hit the puppy jackpot like we did and end up with the world’s second best puppy (because sorry, world, but Olive DEFINITELY takes first place and there’s no way we’re giving her up!).