Author: admin

Nine years ago, while I was going through a divorce, my daughters and I decided to add a dog to our family. We traveled to Best Friends Sanctuary in Utah and spent a weekend volunteering and meeting various dogs. We were looking for a small/medium size female dog that was a few years old. We met some amazing fur babies the first day, however, I noticed a dog in another yard off to the side had been watching us all day. I asked the staff about this dog and was told that little was known about him. He had been found in the desert and he was extremely underweight. I felt compelled to meet him since he had taken such an interest in following us around that day. My youngest daughter was three years old at the time and since this dog had not been “kid tested” yet he came out of the yard with his trainer and two other staff members. That was intimidating, and as he approached us my daughter held out her hand for him. Just as he would have reached her, he yawned, and she stepped forward, her hand went all the way inside his mouth. This gentle boy held his mouth wide open, not wanting to close it even after her hand was removed. He had more than passed the kid test. We took him back to our pet-friendly hotel that night for a sleepover. He was clearly nervous and shy; however, he was naturally protective. During the night, my older daughter woke up to use the restroom and when she got out of bed, Duke followed her to the bathroom door and sat and waited. When she finished, he accompanied her to the edge of her bed and kissed her as she climbed back in bed, so we ended up coming home with a huge male puppy, not exactly the plan but a decision I have not regretted. Over the next few months, he gained weight and became the man of our house, and he has made sure we are safe and loved. He is a gentle giant and an amazing companion. I feel very grateful to have him in my life and he is definitely part of this family.