Chop

Every once in a while, a dog enters your life and changes everything. Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them and filling an emptiness we didn't even know we had. I walked into the auburn humane society on a cold day in January in search of my soulmate. I'm not sure what led me there as it was not a place, I planned on looking. As I walked in, I asked if they had any dogs available for adoption after tirelessly looking at other crowded shelters and being waitlisted behind the people in front of me who were already first in line for the dog. The woman replied," umm, we have two," and led me through the door. As I walked through, straight ahead of me, there he was. I just knew. He was loud and ferocious barking behind that small cage in a quite aggressive ferocious way. As if he was screaming let me out of here. He had been a stray and had been there six months. Unneutered large two-year-old German shepherd mix. This big, beautiful boy confined to a cage looking for his forever home. I have never seen a dog so excited to come out of a cage and into the world! I fell in love right then. His energy, his adventurous happy spirit, I wanted to take him home right then. Being a stray, he desperately needed a bath and smelled so bad it was almost unbearable. But what a beauty. Dandruff and all I said, I will take him. I returned three days later to pick him up since they had to neuter him first. It was the longest three days of my life. I named him Chop. From that day on Chop has been my best friend, my soulmate and my family.

The first thing I did was drive out to my town of Snoqualmie where there are many places, he can run free. Not really knowing what this dog will do I just couldn't put him on a leash. I knew my dog would not need one! I drove out to a large field along the river, I parked and assisted him out with his leash. He seemed excited and I couldn't wait to let him run free, or feel free, no longer confined to that small kennel. I unhooked his leash and OFF HE WENT at full speed like he was chasing something except he wasn't. He just kept running and running further and further away from me like he has never run like that in his entire life. I started to call him louder and louder as he was getting further away and he stopped and turned around, looked at me and came charging back. It was like a racehorse out of the starting gate. I will never forget it, as chop always and still remains unleashed when we adventure, but he doesn't run like that unless he is chasing a tennis ball. That moment in the Elk field Chop was unleashed. His wildness and freedom touched my heart and inspired me. From that moment on I vowed to always let him be free, and in return he stays close by my side on our jogs and walks and hikes, but he knows he is free of restraints, and that if he chooses to run ahead full speed for the fun of it and simply because he can that is perfectly fine.

Chop loves to be free and silly and when all else fails, turn up the music and dance with your dog! He loves a good time, and we spend many nights doing that. He loves music, fetches logs returning them onto the bonfire, loves belly rubs, loves bubbles and loves to sing in excitement.

The love between us is eternal. Chop is a free spirit like me and being a single gal with four boys he completes this family. He goes everywhere with me, and I mean everywhere. He fits every role whether it is riding on my coaching launch for rowing practice, adventure swimming time at the river, or waiting in the car standing guard while I run into a store. The one thing Chop loves ever so much is riding in the car. Forever driving in my car and taking road trips of adventure to I don't know where my love has always been. I have never needed or longed for company on these adventures and usually get static from the other way around, for leaving and with no plan. I decided a while ago this is just going to have to be my thing. Until Chop. Chop is my true ride or die. Together we set out for adventure all around and car camp together in the Tahoe. He is always excited, always happy and adaptable to any situation. I love this dog like he is one of my children. I can't imagine just two years ago he was locked up, what if we never found each other, i can't even imagine life without Chop. No, that is not how fate works. I was meant to walk in there that day, and we were meant to find each other at that exact time of our lives. For years I had thought about and wanted to get a dog, but it never happened. That is because Chop was not even born yet! This big, beautiful boy has taught me that people and life come to you when it is supposed to. Together we go through life, wild, free, and unleashed.