I have to say it’s been a couple of rough months around here. I guess to many with bigger problems, this is nothing, but in our circle of family, we’ve had a lot of sadness loosing dogs. My dad put down his 12 year old dog, my sister put down both of her older dogs a month apart from each other, my mom’s favorite dog will be 12 on Christmas day and is showing signs this will more than likely be her last Christmas. My other sister has older dogs, one of which they thought they were going to lose last month. On top of all that, us having to unexpectedly put down our beautiful 1 1/2 year old Sheppard pup was killing. Denali is missed by many, many friends and family members.
It was hard to think that we’d ever find another dog so loving and loyal.
Yet there on the same farm where we got Denali, sat his sister from their mother’s 2nd litter. She stayed outside in a wet muddy pen, cold as the days grew shorter, separately confined across from her brother. The pups both longed for attention and love, and they both had more love to give then we ever imagined. My dad took the brother. I have to say it couldn’t have been a better fit. As for the sister, she wasn’t even available, for the owner was planning on keeping her strictly for breeding.
Yet the owner knew how much the sister looked like Denali and she had made a comment that was clear to us she’d be willing to sell her. Although it felt too soon to get another dog, we didn’t want to pass up the opportunity on missing out on her. The cold of winter was setting in and although there are many dogs who live outside in this world… it wasn’t for this girl.
So she found a new home here with us. We named her Josie. She found a new family and Dylan found a new best friend. As hard as loosing Denali was, our hearts longed to love a pup. The fact that Josie is Denali’s sister, a year younger, makes her extra special too. I feel a rare connection to her. The fact that Josie has an over abundance of love in her heart that pours out to us in everything she does proves to me we did the right thing. I couldn’t imagine not having her now. She has filled our home with much needed spark and love after losing Denali. As we have saved her from the harsh life of breeding and battling the elements.
Now Josie’s living like a queen on a warm bed and seeking out blankets and toy’s she’s never had the chance to play with before. She happily prances around here and within the short amount of time we’ve had her, she has become an incredible watchdog. Josie knows this is her family and she does what she can to protect us. We have completely opened our hearts to her, giving her unconditional love and we will do all we can to protect her as well.
It’ funny how things work out sometimes. Choices made, decisions settled on, the timing of things. Had Josie been put in the pen with all the other pups after they were born, she would have been long gone back in June. Yet she was kept. I somehow feel God knew we’d need her. She’s an angel. She’s opened my eyes again to possibility and to the truth life will never be what you expect or plan on. Life will just be. It is our personal choice to either resist it or to open our hearts and go with the flow.
Hearts of all kinds can hold so much love. The heart of an animal always holds unconditional love. The exact kind of love this world needs more of. I write this as Josie comes by to put her head on my lap. I look at her and pray for the best. I pray for her health and pray she won’t be taken from us too soon. As hard as it was losing Denali, I’ve taken the path not to resist life, but to go along with the current. I look, Josie’s golden eyes staring into mine, I know for a fact…she was meant to be, right here, right now, unconditional love in all hearts.
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