by Karolyn Hart

It was 1997 and my husband and I had just celebrated our one year anniversary just a few months earlier. We were in the process of taking posession of our first home and although we had promised ourselves to wait to get a dog, we ended up picking up our new puppy the same day we collected the keys to our house.

The classifieds had said Dane-Bouvier pups and so we headed out to a farm just outside of Kitchener.  We had wanted a Great Dane but with a heavy price tag of $1500 and a new mortgage payment we knew we wouldn’t spend that sort of money.  However, $50 we could do.  When we arrived we met the mother - a massive gentle black Great Dane - but grew concerned when we looked around and saw no pups.  The woman who owned the dog and the puppies smiled and said “Oh, it’s just about feeding time. Let me gather them for you.” 

We watched as she headed to the fields and called out three times “Puppies!” and half a dozen heads popped up and came running towards us.  Some were hairy balls like their Bouvier father, some were scraggly with smooth features and beards, but only one was left that looked the “most Dane”.  He had mozied over and lazily pulled on the clasped of my sandle until I had gently pulled him away. I almost didn’t notice him at first compared to the other personalities.

Case in point, his Bouvier looking brother, who was standing directly in the middle of the food that was served and eating. This one on the other hand sidled away and contently sat watching the chaos with his paws tucked under, patiently waiting for whatever was to happen next.  The “next” moment was us agreeing to pick him up in two weeks. We patted him on the head and then spent the ride home trying to figure out names.

There are moments in your life that at the time seem so inconsequential.  Moments, like the first time you shake a person’s hand having no idea they will be your best friend or soul mate, or the first time you pick up a book, and have no idea it is about to change the course of your life.

Duke was one of those type of moments. I had never owned a dog of my own. I grew up with a family dog so I thought I knew what it was to enjoy a pet.  I had no idea, as that little puppy and I studied each other that I was about to enter into my first official puppy love.  The kind that makes you bawl while watching Marley and Me (a movie that I refuse to watch). The kind that makes you worried to the point of distraction while you are away at a conference because your dog (yes your dog) is in surgery. The kind that makes coming home just “that” much better. 

My husband picked me up at work the day we got the house. He had a goofy smile on his face the whole drive back.  He finally pulled into “our” driveway and said. “Well?” I shook my head not understanding and then I saw him reach down under the brake peddle and hand me our puppy.  He had been gently curled up silently watching the entire time - and unbelievably was small enough to fit under his legs.

My heart was gone that first night as I broke my first “dog rule” and let Duke sleep curled around my head.  A year later and 145 pounds bigger I still let him sleep on me in bed (much to the secret delight of my husband).  We’d wake many evenings and laugh as we had both shifted our positions to ensure the dog was comfortable because we didn’t want to disturb him.

It’s almost 13 years later now.  Duke has lived long past the 8-10 years that Dane’s typically live.  I kept telling myself that I would love him into living at least 20 years, but the reality is in the last 6 months he has slowed down and had health concerns. He no longer makes it up the stairs to sleep with us but we find ourselves still adjusting ourselves to make him comfortable.

We now take our meals downstairs to eat so he isn’t alone, we take every opportunity to pet and hug him that we can.  Tonight, we went for our “walk” - a routine inadvertently started when he was a pup that I still maintain. It’s hard not to see the differences. This is the dog who hiked with us into the interior of Algonquin, 8 hours both ways, and ran back and forth between us the entire time. This is the dog who jumped off ledges of rocks into the water and down a natural water slide  just to be with my husband. This is the dog who would look up at me when I was running as if to say, “Is that all you got?”

Now, we walk to the end of my drive way together.  He doesn’t leave my side and nuzzles his nose into my hand.  He leans against my leg and lets out a contented sigh while I get choked up and lean down to press my face into his fur.

Tonight, I will build up a fire and then cuddle my dog while I watch something on television. Not because I’m a huge television watcher but because it’s an excuse to spend time with my dog - my first puppy love, Duke.

Filed under: Author Karolyn