His Forever Home

They were getting a divorce.

It was so final and so sudden that I could hardly believe it, but I knew the back story. I knew about the fights that led up to this, and if I was really honest, I knew they would be better people apart from each other. But what really made my heart ache was the knowledge that their new 18-week old puppy would be torn from their home so soon after meeting them. You think children don’t understand why divorces happen; try being a happy, energetic puppy who thought he just met his new best friends.

My husband had been trying to convince me to get a dog since we got married.

“No, I don’t want the responsibility.”

“We’re not ready.”

“It’s going to be expensive,” I told him. All of the excuses came to a halt when my husband suggested we take in this couple’s new puppy. The wife was moving to a different state right away, and the husband wasn’t home enough to take care of the puppy. So where would the little guy go? My heart ached. “We’ll take him,” we said.

For days leading up to us getting this little guy, I was torn. I worried he would be too much to handle. I worried he would make messes all over our place. (He did, but it’s okay.) I thought the worst… and I thought the best. What if he were to become my new best friend? After just moving across the country only a year earlier, I still hadn’t found my place. What if this little guy helped me feel less alone? What if he brought out the joy of every day? What if he was the best decision I ever made? (He was.)

I Googled all the things and watched all the videos. How do I potty train a puppy? What’s the best puppy food? What shots does my puppy need? When can my puppy start going on playdates? I was like a first-time mother reading all of the baby books and going to all the baby classes, except he would turn out to be an adorable ball of fluff who pees outside. Almost the same thing, right?

Then, the day came for us to officially take the puppy in… and we discovered a fun fact pretty quickly. I live on the third floor of an apartment building, and our fluffy little friend… was terrified of stairs. When we tried walking him up the stairs, he peed out of fear. It was adorable and hilarious, but the puppy’s owner saved him from the big spooky stairs by picking him up and carrying him the rest of the way. We went inside, and she placed him on the floor. Immediately, he ran around, sniffing all the places he would soon call home.

His owner brought in his crate, his bed, his food, and all his toys, and we all watched him slowly adjust. Then, the time came for his owner to say goodbye. She hugged him the best you can hug an already-growing puppy and petted him relentlessly, reassuring him that this would be a great home for him. We all knew she was really just reassuring herself. Tears fell down her cheeks, and she got up. We said our goodbyes, and she left.

Our new little pup was easily distracted from her absence with some games of tug-of-war, and he was quickly worn out and found a familiar place in his big dog bed. My husband and I watched him. We smiled, and we thanked God that this adorable little guy found a home with us over any other disastrous circumstance.

Right now, the same doggo that used to be a little ball of fluff is now a full-grown, 75 pound husky labrador mix. His favorite toy in the entire world is his ball, and he will do absolutely anything for you to play with him. This includes performing any of his tricks, which include sitting, laying down, giving you a handshake, bowing, and speaking. He loves sitting outside on our balcony and people watching, but he loves begging my husband for food even more.

It’s no wonder I fell in love with him so quickly. He makes me smile. He makes me laugh. He will get in between my husband and I when we try to hug and jump up to try and hug us as well. He will watch TV with me, and he will cuddle with me at night. He’s my protector, and he’s my big baby. I couldn’t imagine my life without him, and I can’t wait to rescue another husky to give him a companion too.

This is the story of me rescuing my boy, Scout.