I recently ran the Humane Society of Charlotte's Pet Palooza 5k, with one of my client's beautiful dogs by my side, and something clicked - it was time for a dog.
I had a few concerns going into the process... because of my job (I run a personal training/sports conditioning company) I am in and out of the house quite a bit, and my schedule involves some weird hours (I get up at 3:15 am every week day, for example). I also don't have a ton of room in my house for a big dog - or so I thought.
I knew I wanted to adopt from HS of Charlotte. I have friends with expensive pure-bred dogs, and they're cool, but I wanted to rescue. So two weeks ago, I drove down to their facility on Toomey Road and went through the kennels.
The First Meeting
A few things stuck out about Dakota. Off the bat, she struck me as different. As I walked around, every dog in every kennel was playing, barking, jumping, running around, and interacting with me. Dakota just laid there - she barely even looked up at me. I kept coming back, walking by, standing in front of her kennel - and still, nothing.
Eventually, she stood up. Whoa - definitely looked like a pit bull. Her information sheet called her a "Boxer Mix," but to my untrained eye, she looked ALL pit bull and no boxer. With my limited (and wrong) perception of pit bulls, I knew I didn't want to get into that world.
But even so, she was SO calm that I had to see more. I had a volunteer take her out so I could play with her. I won't lie - I was a little intimidated. She still looked like a pit bull to me, and even though she was sweet, I was a little iffy on the whole thing.
About half an hour into our playing session, she dropped down at my feet, rolled over, and showed me her belly. I scratched her for about ten minutes as she looked up at me, as if to say "you are going to be my human. I'm really cool, and I'm really relaxed. Just trust me." OK.
I filled out the paperwork, and the very next day, it went through - and two days later, Dakota (or, as she is now known, "Kota") came home. She had a few accidents on the first few days, and she didn't eat a lot, but I was told both things are pretty normal (and they were), and she eventually settled into my daily routine.
The Routine
We get up at 3:00 every morning, because Kota and I take an extra 15-minute run before I leave for work around 4:15. After my morning training sessions, I come home to my little girl - and no matter how long I've been gone, she acts as though it's the first time she's seen me in months. She goes CRAZY - ears down, rolls on her back, tail going 100 miles per hour. She even wags her entire butt for a few minutes (which makes me think she's more lab than pit bull/boxer...).
We run together every afternoon or evening, depending on my work schedule. In a typical day, between morning and night, we'll run 3-4 miles. She makes me so proud because every time out, she pulls a little bit less, she listens a little bit more, and she runs a little bit better. I wouldn't run without her, but I look forward to it when we are together!
And after runs, she's exhausted. My only beef with her at this point, regarding her lounge time, is that she takes up a good 2/3 of the couch. Keep in mind, she's only 52 pounds...
"Her" Human
I knew that I was "her" human on the second day she was with me. Two things happened on that day. Late that morning, I ran out to my car (about 50 feet from my place) to pick something up, and left her inside. I was gone for maybe 90 seconds. When I opened the door and came back in, she acted like I had been gone for a year. She was attached!
Later in the day, she showed me her loyalties. I live on the second floor, and so I often keep my balcony door open for her to run out, check out the walking path and street, and keep tabs on the outside world while we're hanging out. She went out there that day, and started growling. The hair on the back of her neck and all the way down her spine went straight up in the air, as she came sprinting back to me in my office.
She started whining as she climbed all the way on top of me in my desk chair. Her tail was wagging and her ears were down. She led me out to the balcony, where I saw (keep in mind, like 40 feet away) a miniature dachshund walking with its owner down the street. Kota, who was now sitting on my feet, looked at me, hair on her neck standing up, as if to say "Daddy, see? That was a threat. That dog was on OUR territory. I am trying to protect you Daddy! That dog won't get through me!"
At that point, I was totally sold. She's the sweetest, most calm dog I could have asked for, and she already knows to protect me and look out for me. As I write this, she's sound asleep on the couch next to me. Every time I get up to do something, she gets up and sits at my heels. To some people, that's probably annoying. But that's the reason I got a dog in the first place!
I hope more people consider going the rescue dog route in the future - I have noticed that so many rescue dogs, Kota included, are so eager to please, and so aware of their human's emotions and actions. When I'm in a bad mood, Kota knows it - after just a week together. Plain and simple - she needs love. And she gives it back abundantly. She's a great best friend!
Bobby DeMuro is the Chairman, Founder and CEO of FusionSouth LLC
