How I became a dog mom is really a story about how I overcame my fear of dogs. I’ve never been the worlds biggest dog lover.. let’s put it that way. I used to cross roads to avoid them and I’d have a heart attack if I ever went to a friends house who had a dog because I knew I would have to face that moment where you knock on their front door and the dog goes mad, barking and bounding towards you as you desperately fight the urge to run in the opposite direction and stop yourself from peeing your pants.
SO how on earth have I ended up having my very own dog?
Head Back to 2017
Skip back to a year ago when I met the most puppy eye-d Staffy Cross French Mastif. His name is Harley, and I was lead to believe that this dog was dangerous. I was told he used to have stand off’s with people if they left the room and then came back in. That he would go absolutely bananas if anyone knocked on the front door. That he had to be walked at ridiculous time of night when there were absolutely no other dogs around, otherwise it would be a threat to his safety. I had warned my friend that I was scared of dogs, and was told to ‘brace myself’ and just get through the first 5 minutes and then he would calm down.
Safe to say I was almost wetting myself on the way to meet him! But then we walk in.. and this dog is SO excited by the fact his hooman was home that he didn’t even notice I was there! I stood and waited for the barking and growling and the stand off mixed with a death stare, but it never came! Within 5 minutes this 30 kilo tank of a dog was snuggled up and sleeping ON MY LAP. This was no dangerous dog.. this was a giant marshmallow who just wanted love and snuggles under the duvet. From that moment on.. I was in love.
A Beautiful Friendship Developed..
Myself and Harley became best buddies. We went on walks, we snuggled during movies and mostly? .. mostly we napped together. Absolute dream napping partner. Harley has a thing for being UNDER the duvet. He will wait until he finds the tiniest opening in your duvet and then dive in with his nose, do a twirl around and then drop. He is the saddest boy ever if he tries to get in but he ends up not quite covered enough. Watching him struggle to tuck himself in would simultaneously brake and melt my heart. We bonded during those naps. Everything was perfect apart from all the tea spillages! And I’m not talking about Harley knocking them over.. I’m talking about me THROWING MY TEA IN THE AIR!
EVERY TIME he barked I would jump out of my skin!!! We would be so relaxed and it would be all cosy and quiet. We’d be all snuggled in and I’d be cuddling my cup of tea staying warm… and then OUT OF NOWHERE… Harley would bark… and I would jump SO VIOLENTLY.. that my tea went FLYING in the air. EVERYTIME!!!!! Duvet upon duvet got soaked in freshly made tea. I had to apologise so many times to an angry mother with endless loads of washing to do. This happened so many times I was told I was no longer allowed to drink tea from a mug, but instead use a sippy cup, so that I would stop spilling my tea whenever the dog barked.
New Housemate Alert!!
Eventually, due to circumstance, I ended up living with Harley (and my friend obviously I didn’t just dognap Harley!) . We all moved in together in November 2017, into a house with room for Harley to run around! It was a tough move for him though. For the first week he didn’t sleep… which meant neither did we. There were so many unfamiliar sounds and noises that he would be barking at everything. He would fall asleep and wake up scared and bark in the middle of the night. Actually all night.. every night. He wasn’t used to having so much space to protect that he would often forget there was an upstairs AND a downstairs. . Silly dog.
Having his own space has been great for him. He has a home, a bed, a back garden and his favourite humans all in the same place. The only thing he didn’t have was company. Harley would be left on his own as both myself and my friend worked in hospitality and we would be out for so long that it breaks my heart to think of how lonely he would be all day/night on his own. Staffys are known to suffer from severe separation anxiety. They love company. All they want is to be where you are, at all times, forever and ever and ever… The End. Amen.
Decisions Were Made
So.. we decided to adopt another dog! We decided that it would be great for Harley to have a friend so that he wouldn’t be on his own all the time. THIS is how I became a Dog Mom. At first I was adamant that I wanted a puppy. Of course, every girl wants a puppy. But then I felt guilty. There are so many dogs out there that have been abandoned and need homes, or dogs who have become too old, or their humans have died and they’re now homeless. I decided it would be better to adopt. After all, Harley was a rescue, and he is a big puddle of love and affection. It would mean more for his best friend to also be a rescue. So we turned to Gumtree.
Time to Adopt!
And Voila! There she is. Our Mila. Or as she was known then.. Sophia. It was love at first sight and we were desperate. Within 3 days we had decided and were on our way to pick her up from Birmingham. When we walked in she came bounding out of the kitchen, tail wagging so fast she looked like she was about to take off! My heart burst and I just KNEW I had to take her home with me. There were no questions about it.
The family we adopted her from were a family of 4 children, 2 dogs, 2 cats and a kitten.. and unfortunately they were being evicted at the end of the week. They just didn’t have the means to give her the life she deserved and so they had to let her go. We promised she would be coming to a good home.
Adopting Mila has been one of the best decisions of my life, as well as the most trying! I’ve learn’t so much about her and even more about myself in the short 6 months we’ve been together. She is my forever fur baby and I can’t wait to share my life with her. The minute we brought her home it was like Harley imprinted on her. They were rough playing and snuggling up together. They sleep in the same bed most nights and can’t bare to be in separate rooms. Not only is Harley protective of his family now, but Mila is also protective of him! They’re totally in love and it melts my already mushy heart <3
How did you adopt your dogs? Did you ever have a fear of dogs beforehand? Let me know in the comments!