Tips to Living with an Adopted Dog

In August of 2018, I adopted my dog.

I wish I could say everything was peachy from the start, but that isn't completely true. When I first got him, he was hesitant, over-energenic, and a bit of a spitfire. He came from a household that had adopted him prior, and he is now getting into his older years. It was a rocky start as I had such a big change in the two months prior, losing an Australian Shepard in an apartment fire, I wasn't sure if I was up for the change.

The day I brought home Moose, I wasn't sure how to react. I got him from two states over, drove down and back in the same day, and he enjoyed the ferry on the way back. He sat by my side, and seemed cautious. I discovered he liked car rides a lot and was always up for an adventure. I found stores in the area I had moved into where I was allowed to bring him with me. He brought confidence in me as a person, and I gave him confidence by showing he can easily be overwhelmed by toys and a big bed. His former owners came from across the country, climbing mountains with him, and giving him enough exercise. I thought this dog would love the beach, and I wasn't wrong. He was not used to playing with a lot of toys, but eventually got used to plethora my mother, family members, and friends, have given him. Before, he would never let go of his toys, and would try to play tug of war. After some tough love, dedication, and patience, I have taught him to put the toy directly in my palm, adapt to dropping it on my foot, and to get his toys that he is not supposed to bring outside. A person can easily see this dog is very happy. Over time, it became more of a question of if I had saved him, or if he had saved me.

This was my first lesson to learn from him: to never judge a book by it's cover. I never would have guessed that he would turn from this big protective loud mouth who was probably scared from the changes and into an innocent cuddle bug. Don't get me wrong, he will protect me from anyone that I am not okay with, but his personality had completely changed.

The second lesson I learned : is that he really is an old dog. I realized that when my former one had passed away that I really didn't want to get a new puppy. The breeder we have gotten several shepards from had a litter on the way, but I wanted the challenge of adopting. My mom found him on a group on Facebook, and the rest is history. Well, ... almost. I slowly discovered that this dog had a lot of energy, and while I knew this type of breed does, my mom just liked to tease that I would get the hyper dogs with while eyes. What also surprised me was his age, as he will be 10 years old in February. Even in old age,I try to make sure he is a comfortable as he can be and I am making sure he is living his best life. He has a huge amount of toys that fit two baskets, gets fed Rachel Ray Nurish brand, and absolutely loves his back yard. I never noticed his age before this summer, as he was always so excited. But as the days go by, I have learned to love my little old man, and he lets me know when it's bedtime instead of the opposite. He has started to get a little bit of white around his nose, his tear ducts, and his snout. He also always has a smile on his face.

The third lesson that I learned from my dog is that not all are the same, and that's okay. As long as someone is willing to put in the time and effort, someone can turn an old dog into a puppy again. I say this as he is lounging on my sofa. I didn't realize until a short time ago that this dog was helpful beyond belief. He has helped me overcome fears from anxiety, and had adapted to understanding when I need a weighted blanket, even though the weight is the dog. Roger Caras once said, "Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." I believe this is accurate, as he had changed mine.

I am glad I adopted. I get to make his once rough life, better.