There are a lot of books out there on the lessons you can learn from your dog. It’s no surprise why they are considered man’s best friend. In fact they should probably be awarded with an even higher honor, perhaps an angel on earth here to protect us and teach us the right ways. Yes often they come across as stupid, ignorant, or perhaps even stubborn; but when you really look at the relationship you share with your furry friend you might find that there is so much more than what meets the eye.
I remember when we first picked up Jackson (“Jax”). My husband, who was my fiancé at the time, and I drove to a shelter with the intentions of what might be compared to window shopping. Seriously? Who actually can go to a shelter and just look without buying? That’s like standing in an ice cream shop, smelling the waffle cones, even perhaps taste testing every 31 flavors offered and then deciding that you are satisfied with your life as it is without the very ice cream laid before you. So when we walked through those doors and saw the mass of loveable dogs, well it was clear that there would be no escape for us.
We were not instantly drawn to Jax. In fact, we had found a cute looking boxer on the website that we were hoping to meet and were disappointed when we found out he was not there that day. It wasn’t love at first sight either. When we first met him Jax (named Volusia at the time) he was solely focused on doing his best to fight off another large male dog who was persistently trying to mount him. We sort of felt bad for the little guy, who only had about 45 pounds up against what looked like a 90 pound Great Dane. No, he didn’t really stand a chance at keeping this pesky male at bay, but he certainly showed everyone his determination to do what he could to stop the large beast. I am sure it must have come as quite a relief when we walked over to him and asked to take him to the play area.
Jax didn’t know what to think of us, and we really didn’t know what to think of him. We looked one another over and after about 10 minutes my husband and I realized that we would be leaving this shelter with a new family member. It’s a scary feeling signing off on papers for an animal you have only just met. You wonder if you will actually be the kind of dog parent that you hope to be…the parent you want to be. As we left the shelter, all three of us walking proudly side by side, we stepped into the outdoor air and saw the joy on Jax’s face as he crouched on the grass to pee. Ah, freedom at last.
The car ride home was really the first glimpse into our dog’s thirst for life. His head proudly out the window while sitting rested in my husband’s lap. He took in every smell, every tiny sent that crept into his nostrils while the wind blew in his face. His eyes were spreading in all directions from the air catching the insides of his eyelids. We laughed hysterically at this seemingly class clown. It was clear that there was no sign of fear, just an excitement for the unknown. Jax didn’t think twice about his former home. No, instead he looked forward to what was next and what his new home might be like.
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