During this interesting election year, I’ve decided to take a step away from politics and highlight someone who has never let me down: our dog. We adopted her a little more than three years ago, in the last gasps of the Covid pandemic.
We all know that if 2020 was a movie, it would have received one star, along with a review of “very bad; do not recommend.” Current dictionary synonyms of 2020 include disaster and sucks, while antonyms are enjoyable and see Reagan years.
But there was truly only one hardship my family faced in 2020: the death of our Labrador Retriever. Savannah was a GREAT dog - sweet, sassy and fun. She was great for our young kids, so losing her was painful in such a chaotic year.
We moved in 2020 so we could be closer to our kids’ schools, choosing a house with a fenced yard because we planned to get another dog. We were going to get a Goldendoodle, convinced this breed was the perfect dog for us after a friend showed us hers!
At least I was pretty convinced. I still perused the Alabama Claws and Paws site. I didn’t mean to cheat on our future Doodle – I just felt sorry for the poor abandoned dogs. And feeling especially sappy at Christmas, I would force my husband to look at their pictures, who would smile and nod, then walk out of the room.
One night I stumbled upon a white dog with soulful eyes staring back at me on my phone. She had been discovered on a busy road one night, in the pouring rain. A kind couple stopped when they saw her anxiously running around. Then they saw the puppy. Her puppy had been run over by a car. That’s why she was frantic.
Putting her in the car they took her home. Scared, drenched, malnourished and covered in ticks, she ate and fell asleep in their basement. The next day, they took her to their local veterinarian to get a check-up and cleaning. The kind woman had posted her picture because they could not handle another pet.
As usual, I showed her picture to my husband. He looked at the photo and smiled. But later he asked to see the picture again. Something about this dog tugged at his heart. He told me to inquire about her. Shocked is an understatement. I sent the woman a message and we began to correspond. She would send us videos of the dog, who seemed very adaptable.
We set up a time to go see her. They had started calling her Daisy. I’d love to say it was love at first sight when I saw her, but she looked like a coyote. I could tell our kids were uncertain about this new potential pet. Daisy seemed nice, but we didn’t know anything about her.
But then my husband was shaking the man’s hand and telling Daisy to get in our car. WHAT? We hadn’t really discussed it and he had been adamant about wanting to get a purebred. But then he made this quick decision leaving me a little stunned.
We had some initial adventures – such as Daisy squeezing out of her crate, ripping some stitches and nearly bleeding to death. (Big shout out to Dr. Martin at Caldwell Mill Animal Clinic for saving her life! An unsuspecting German Shepherd in the back became a blood donor that day.)
She even busted out of our fence one day, obviously upset that my husband and our son had gone running without her. She chased them down several streets over, showing us her keen sense of direction and teaching us that any walks or runs without her might have to be kept on the down-low.
Getting rid of her worms was another adventure. A $500 adventure.
But as Daisy healed, gained weight and began to trust us, we noticed something. Our younger son, who was discouraged about changing schools during Covid, was happier. He’s like me – not a fan of change or wearing masks and social distancing. It wasn’t the easiest year to forge new friendships. But he and Daisy bonded. He would go outside and throw her toys and she’d fetch them again and again. She loved to be petted, so he’d sit with her on the couch, and she would curl up next to him. She loved to ride carpool, coming with us when we dropped him off. This rescue dog truly made a tough transition much more bearable.
We’ve all grown to adore our Daisy. She is spunky, energetic, sweet and playful. She loves to play with our youngest. She loves walks with my husband. She waits by the door to ride in the car with me any chance she gets. She appears to purposely annoy our oldest by taking naps on his bed. She’s protective, barking if a stranger approaches our house. She’s smart and has developed great word association.
She is just who we needed to stabilize our lives and calm our fears in these chaotic times.
We may have driven two hours to adopt this dog, but Daisy has come to our aid in numerous ways. From helping a middle schooler adapt to a new routine, to helping my father not feel quite so alone in the sunset of his life – she has been here for us. I’m incredibly grateful that my wise husband went rogue and told her to hop in our car.
So, if you find yourself looking for a dog, why not consider adopting rather than shopping? Dogs abandoned by careless folks often become the most loyal family members.
Daisy would vouch for that.
Kristin Landers is a substitute teacher and freelance writer. Landers’ previous work includes serving as Communications Director for the Alabama Policy Institute and working for Citizens Against a Legalized Lottery (CALL) to defeat legalized gambling in the state of Alabama.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to Commentary@1819News.com.
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