2018 was a year of ups and downs, but the best thing that happened to me was getting "Bird". Having a dog is the greatest thing of all time. I adopted Bird after fostering him for a month in June from an amazing organization called Wolf Trap Animal rescue.
I almost didn't adopt him. I had just bought a new house and the thought of bringing in a new puppy was crazy. However, the night before the adoption event we had someone come by to potentially adopt him. I kept making comments about why it might not be the best idea for them to adopt a dog. Too much responsibility and such. In my heart I knew I couldn't let him go. The next day I formally adopted him which was the best day of my life.
"Bird" was named after Larry Bird, my favorite athlete of all time. He lives up to name as he has a free bird attitude just like me. He actually reminds me a lot of my old dog Arfa with his free spirit. He is a handsome beagle mix that has grown from the little guy on the right to the big boy on the left. Sometimes I don't think he realizes he has gotten bigger as he still plays like a small dog.
Bird is always the first to greet me when I get home, jumping on me like he thinks I've been gone forever. He looks through the window at me when I drive off to work which breaks my heart every time(does this ever get easier?). I love laying on the couch or bed with him, his face on my lap or beneath the covers. I love our walks and the way he gets so excited about seeing squirrels. I love how curious he is and his desire to explore.
He's not perfect. He loves to chew furniture, loves to jump the fence and give me a heart attack running around like a wild man. I'd have a cleaner house without him for sure. But none of that really matters in the end because of the way he makes me feel everyday. His snoring and sighs during naps, his whimpers when he wants to play. He's the most popular dog in the dog park and and always the first to welcome a new dog or jump on a new person. He's all in all "such a good boy". Even when he runs off and jumps the fence I know its just the free spirit in him.
My girlfriend and I have fostered a number of dogs over the last few months and people always ask how I never get attached. It's hard to explain, but I truly believe Bird and I were destined to be best friends. I can't wait for the adventures together over the years. The Love of a dog is like no other thing in this world.
