The Thief of Hearts.
She arrived 19 days ago, as a ball of fur. 11 weeks old, and everything a silver lab puppy should be. Precocious, energetic, possessed of a desire to chew everything, a tail that never stops wagging and an inexhaustible love of life.
Oh, and incredibly food motivated. Maybe that’s all puppies, but I think she’s pushing the envelope a little.
And in those 19 days she’s taken over our hearts and our lives.
Since she showed up we’ve had shoes stolen, towels vanished, ears and noses nibbled (not bitten hard though) and a pair of yellow leather work gloves completely destroyed. I like to roughhouse with her, so I’ve sustained a fair number of scrapes and scratches.
She’s never been left alone, in fact she’s never even slept alone yet. Even though we are crate training her, there’s always one of us out here on an airbed at night, and sometimes two of us.
And for us, it’s a joy and a privilege to be with her.
Maybe it’s the unconditional love that she extends to us every time we return after being gone, or maybe it’s the wonder of seeing a new life evolving, but I have to admit that each of us in our own way have fallen head over heels in love with this little girl.
Even my wife, who has struggled with a fear of dogs all her life, is not immune to the wonder and joy that Cocoa has brought into our world.
And we already can’t remember what life was like without her.
I’ve been reflecting on her the last few days, and I’ve realized that our desire to have a dog, and the way we have become so smitten so quickly, is proof that we were really looking for another way to experience love in our lives. It was like we had so much love in our hearts that we needed another person to shower with love, and she has certainly given us that opportunity.
Love is the strangest thing – the more you give, the greater you receive.
And somewhere inside of me, the little boy who I remember being when we got our first dog has awoken. I find myself leaving just that little bit later to work, so that I can spend as much time with Cocoa as I can, and rushing home in the same manner.
I am spending less time in my office at home, and more time being a chew toy. While it can be a little painful at times, I am loving every minute with our crazy little girl.
I think she is good for my soul.
And I can’t wait for her to get bigger, so she can experience more of the world. How will she handle her first view of the ocean; what will she think when we take her into the mountains? What will it be like to have a driving buddy who has her nose out of the window, chasing smells and dreams?
It feels like a new life has been entrusted to us, and I just want her to experience as much of the world as she can.
But wherever she goes, there’s one thing I think I can say with a deep certainty. She will have our hearts with her, because she has well and truly stolen them away.
And knowing her, there’ll also be a shoe, a towel or a glove along for the ride. She’s good at stealing them too :)
— Dr. Alan Barnes
@maddrbmusings