My Dog

I always had dogs growing up. I had one childhood dog who lived to the ripe old age of 17, and another who lived to 15. Dogs were always part of my life, but the first puppy I ever bought as an adult was different. I was 19 years old when I bought her. She cost $350. I had just moved out of my parents’ house to go to college with my then-boyfriend, now husband. We lived in a small apartment with one bedroom and a balcony. My dad felt that I needed a dog, so he gave me the money. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that decision would become one of the most important purchases of my life. I took it seriously. I researched dog training videos. I researched breeds. I spent days obsessing over everything I could learn. Eventually, I found a lady online who was selling puppies on a farm. It was an accidental litter of the breed I wanted, and the price was $450. To me, it felt perfect. Despite all my research, I chose what was probably one of the most difficult breeds I could have started…