Growing up, we weren’t allowed to have dogs, and me being the animal lover I am. I didn’t get my first true dog until a few weeks before my wedding day. She was a wedding gift from my husband. A full-blooded Siberian Husky, who gave us a run for our money, in her puppy years. Those blue eyes got her out of anything she had gotten herself into. She was so full of energy and life.About a year later, we decided our pup, Dory, needed a friend. So, we went to the local shelter and adopted a lab mix and named him Mars. Those two were (and still are) the best of friends. They both grew to be strong and loving dogs. We were at our max though with them. We kept saying, “that’s it, two is our limit.” But, that is easier said, than done.
Now, I absolutely love my two big dogs. They are great workout partners, sleeping buddies, and protectors. But, when I became depressed, from not being able to have a baby. There are four little paws that came into my life and helped change my life around forever. In the August of 2017, Jup was brought into my life. At the time, I worked at a Grain Elevator in northwest Ohio and we have all kinds of visitors, a lot of them are furry ones. One day, one of our seasonal employees (Mike) came in holding a little Daschund puppy. He was born without a tail, he had red and white fur (which is unusual for this breed), and he had the biggest and softest ears I have ever seen.
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| (First time meeting Jup.) |
Mike kept saying that I should take the little guy home, but in my head, I kept thinking, “We already have two big dogs. How is this little bundle of fur going to fit in?” While I was pondering the idea, Mike handed him over to me, to hold. Instantly, Jup cuddle up under my neck and was pressed so tight against me, I didn’t think I would ever be able to let him go. I was hooked. That is all it took, one little nuzzle.
I called my husband and said, “Do you care if we get another dog?” His instant reply was, “I can’t believe you even asked.” So, Jup came home with us, for a “weekend trial,” that is was I told Mike I wanted to do, but I knew it wasn’t just going to be a weekend trial. The minute I got home from work with him, I didn’t want to separate. So, he went on a two-hour car ride with my husband and I, without making a peep. He slept on my lap the whole time. From there on out, I was constantly wanting to hold him, take him places, and play with him. He fit in great with Dory and Mars too. He would run and play with them, and when he got tired he would want me to hold him or sit on my lap.
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| (The day we brought him home.) |
He was bringing me out of my depression shell, without me even realizing it. Months passed, and I was just beginning to realize what he was helping me overcome. He was helping me climb the biggest mountain in my life. I am so thankful for him, because without him, I truly do not know where I would be. Infertility and depression are VERY real and most of the time people don’t want to talk about them. So, during that time I couldn’t talk without crying, Jup, was the spark that helped me start pecking away at the shell that surrounded me. He was my wakeup call and gave me the ability to start living life again.
Many people say, stories like this are crazy. That he is just an animal. But, to me he will never be just an animal. No, to me, he will always be the dog that helped save me.
