Great stories everyone!
Mine, too, also sort of stemmed from a loss. My little 5 year old brother died in 2006. He drowned a country club pool, I was out of town at the time. I was, obviously, beyond devastated. No words can put how our family felt during the next few years, and still feel today.
Since I was starting my junior year in high school after this happened, it was really really hard for me to care about things that my friends and other teenagers my age cared about (i.e. dances, the prom, football games, parties). I just did not care. I kept a picture of my brother on my desk with me at all times and would just look at his face. I don't really know how I got through that junior year. Senior year was a bit better because I was only there until 10:20 in the morning and got let out early for work release.
Anyways I graduated high school, my closest friends went off to school a bit farther away, and I opted to stay and go to the community college, unsure of what I was going to do, etc. So about six months after HS graduation, I don't really know what came over me but I wanted my own dog. I did not have a ton of people to hang out with anymore, I knew I had the time, etc. Initially, I think my parents thought it was just a phase and they would end up with the dog, which they were both okay with if that were to have happened.
So anyways my dad and I went to a horrible part of Baltimore to go pick him up from this lady's house. Her dog had a litter of puppies and she advertised them in an online super ads thing. I saw Jackson's picture and immediately fell in love. I had looked around at a few other dogs - all I knew was that I needed a non shedding dog due to my stepdads allergies. Did not really research the breed at ALL. I had looked at a little girl, but it just did not feel right. I wanted a boy and kept going back to his picture.
So, went to her house. She had two puppies left and I was holding one, then picked up Jackson, and ended up leaving with him. He was "#1" (the lady did not ever name them, BYB through and through, although I will say she cried when we left, and she kissed them goodbye, said she'd miss them - so even though I feel guilty that I unknowingly supported someone like that ... at least he was raised in a decent, some what loving home).
I guess it was love at first sight, lol. I never thought I could be so in love with a dog. I am just so glad he is in my life. He's made me a better person. I think I needed the responsibility and that unconditional love that he brings to me at that time in my life. |