Life is Better With a Dog... or Two.

Dogs. Literally the BEST creation to planet earth. Today just so happens to be national puppy day, and I just so happen to be obsessed with dogs, especially my own. These dogs have become my life. I am not kidding when I say my goal in life is to be a stay at home dog mom, I literally think everyday of all the fun we could have if I got to stay home with my puppers! Dogs leave such an impact on your life for years, and I am so blessed to have dogs in my life. I've had quite a few dogs in my lifetime- having divorced parents means having TWO houses for dogs! WOW! It honestly was great.

My first dog ever was the first dog at my moms house, who was named Mandy. She was a golden retriever and lived to be 13 years old! She was the best dog. One time we ACCIDENTALLY left her outside, and we LEFT THE HOUSE! We come back a few hours later to realize we left her outside, and there she was just sitting in the yard enjoying the outdoors. We had no fence, no containment for her, and lived on a four lane highway. What the heck?! This dog was a blessing, and we were just so lucky to have her as our own. We ended up getting my mom a puppy for her birthday one year, her name is Lucee, she's an old lady dog now! We love lucee just as much- her and I just haven't always seen eye to eye. No worries thought now she's my little sausage and I love her! ... But my dog, Mandy, actually trained her to stay in the yard and be such a good dog, just as she was. She made our family, a family. When she passed we swore we would never get another dog again. How could we? How do you love another dog like you loved the first dog you've ever loved? Especially one that was as good as Mandy! We would never find another dog like her....and along came BO!

Bo was a surprise to me, when we moved from Indiana to Michigan. My mom had a friend who bred Labradoodles, and it just so happened we were looking for one (apparently). Bo became my BEST friend. I wasn't very good at making friends in high school, never really had a group of friends that were my own friends, and moving up into Michigan but still going to school in Indiana left me with FEW friends near me to hangout with, but then there was Bo. This dog stole our hearts like no other. He was this little puff ball that you seriously could not help but fall in love with. The best part, he seriously has crooked teeth. Most puppies have crooked teeth but grow out of it as they grow, not Bo. He smiles big and his crooked teeth stick out and he is so PERFECT. He became a big fan of the lake as we were throwing him in at 8 weeks old, teaching him to love the water...now we can't even get him out! This dog has since become my parents last child at home, and oh Bo does he get treated like little baby at the house. He was everyone's happiness in a time that we really needed his love for all different reasons.

I had a few dogs at my dads house, there was Roush, and Otis, and Lenni, and Zigga Zo!

Zoey was my Christmas present one year. My dad had sent me pictures saying "if you had this dog what would you name her?" Uh Zoey I guess? Zoey is a chihuahua that I had BEGGED for. I don't know why I wanted a chihuahua so bad, but I really wanted Zoey. I had gone to see the new Twilight movie, and came back home to my dad bringing me a box from downstairs, I open in at there pops out Zoey! The chihuahua I had begged for... and then she peed on me. Zoey has since become my dads best friend. Right, a chihuahua becoming a grown mans best friend, but thats what happens when you have a chihuahua as perfect as Zigga Zo!

Then the fall of 2017 I moved home, and into Joe's apartment and we decided to get our first dog. Along came Rocky, my freaking BABY! We got Rocky at a time that I was extremely lost in life. I was making quick decisions because I didn't know what I wanted. I left school, I had no job, I was living with Joe- and that's all I was sure about. We got Rocky, our Husky, on Thanksgiving morning. I had inquired about him the night before, and the breeder messaged me back that morning at 6 AM. I woke up at 7:30 to get ready for the day of Thanks, but instead woke Joe up and said let's go I found a dog and I want him. So in the car we go with no breakfast, driving an hour up into Michigan. Then there was Rocky! It took us forever to come up with his name. But Joe being the Rocky lover he is, here we are with our first pup. Rocky and I have a different kind of relationship then I do with my other dogs. He was my own first dog, I didn't have a job when we got him so we spent literally every waking moment together. He calms we down, he knows when I'm worked up, and knows exactly what to do. He was my constant in a time that life was a bit messy and lost. He gave me something to take care of, and something to get my mind of off the things going on. The second I knew Rocky was different, was one day we were home by ourselves- and I suffer from hypoglycemia, basically if I don't eat I pass out. This started in the beginning of high school, and I used to literally just pass out with no warning. Luckily, I've learned the signs and how to control it at this point- but Rocky did too. One morning I had just forgotten to eat, so there I went slipping to the floor to make sure I was sitting down if I did pass out, and along comes Rocky- he starts crying and howling, then sits next to me, and just so slightly touches every part of my face with his cold nose. He knew something was wrong and did what he could to make sure I was okay, and to help. This is a dog who has NO training and obviously no indication I have this problem. He has done this three different times, in the almost 2 years we've had him. Like I said, my relationship with Rocky is different. He has literally saved me on multiple occasions, not only me, there have been a few times he has saved mine and Joe's relationship as well. He is something beyond special and I don't know how I ever lived my life without that dog now. After a lot of consideration we decided we couldn't provide enough attention to Rocky and that he was bored, and acting out- so......Along came Tucker.

Tucker Tucker Tucker, a big scary ball of love. We got Tucker almost a year ago now, and that was THE best decision. A lot of people didn't agree, why would we get a great dane- such a big dog. How are we going to take care of him? You mean the biggest lap dog, and the laziest dog I have ever met?! We got Tucker from a friend, who happened to have a litter of Great Dane puppies, while we were looking for one. He was so cute and tiny, I carried this dog everywhere...for two weeks. Tucker grew like a weed, and was not a puppy for long! He became the gentle giant we needed in our lives. He is so calm and sweet, and just wants to give you so much love all of the time. He doesn't realize how big he is, and he quite frankly doesn't care how big he is- 120 pounds he's still going to sit on your lap and call it a day. Tucker was the dog Joe had fallen in love with, and I was against it because I wanted a girl dog. After looking at pictures, I looked at Joe and just said "Tucker" a couple weeks later we were on our way to get him. Tucker has definitely become Joe's dog, but really favors whoever will love him- and move over so he can fit on the couch. With Tucker we were complete, it was exactly what we had wanted. Our two fur babies, our home, and each other. He was the icing on top of the cake! We wouldn't trade his slobbery face, that he likes to rest on the kitchen table while we eat, or his extremely bad gas for the world. Tucker has become our laughter, no matter what he does, it's so flipping cute, and you just can't help but fall in love with him even more.

Like I said, dogs leave a lasting impact on a human. Dogs are proven scientifically to benefit a humans life also. I wouldn't want to live a life where there wasn't dogs. I joke and say I want all the dogs, but I really do. What a life that would be! My favorite quote about dogs is "A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." Which I believe to be so true. Dogs are so pure, and innocent, and I think that's why they're so easy to love. They rely on you, they depend to be fed by you, let out by you, loved by you. Dogs put all their life into your hands, with barely knowing who you even are. Another saying I love is: dogs aren't born aggressive, aggressive humans create aggressive dogs. We as a human race have a job to give these dogs the best lives they could ever imagine out of the short time we have them here on earth with us. If you own a dog, give him an extra treat today.

Happy Puppy Day!

To all the other puppies in my life that need a shoutout too:

Deeogee- we miss you buddy!

Layla

Charlie

Willow

Biggie