I am not a dog person. Or more correctly, I was never a dog person before 2 years ago. As a child I'd been bit by a doberman and chased down a few years later by 2 guard dogs when delivering Avon for my mom. These experiences led me to become an adult who was struck with fear at every encounter I ever had with a dog. Growing up the Bay Area of Cali, the news only ever reported on constant Pitt mauling (usually on children) and proceeded to instill a stigma especially against the Pitt breed. The neighbor across the street who was a very dear and close family friend, had a high strung malmute; Maggie. In hopes of getting me over my fears my parents would volunteer me to feed Maggie and change out her water when the neighbor was out of town. Those days were awful and i would have so much anxiety, i'd feel sick to my stomach. I'd go over, let myself in, will up the strength to go out into the garage and then be jumped on and barked at until I left. No one ever thought to tell me to be the alpha and to NOT let her be so possessive of me. And the torture continued into high school until that dog finally died (I can't lie, i was filled with nothing but relief).
In middle school, one of my friends had 2 rottweilers. My first time going to their house, terrified me to the point i never wanted to go back. Bless my friend's mother, because she decided she was going to help me get over my fears. Every time I would go over to their house, she'd keep the dogs in a room and slowly over the years got me comfortable enough to have them around while we were playing. But i didn't trust them and always kept one eye on them, just waiting for them to attack. I didn't understand why anyone would want a dog for a pet and consider it safe. They were animals, they eventually had to follow their nature.
Then one summer day, we were out back playing and one of the dogs got out into the backyard with us. I froze up in terror and Karen, in the calmest voice i'd ever hear, told me that dogs could sense fear. I asked myself how I was suppose to pretend to NOT be terrified and had no clue. And then Karen was next to me, with her hand on my back and she quietly said, "Look into his eyes, they are kind and soft and big and brown . . . just like yours". I stopped breathing at that point but willed myself to look down into this animal's eyes who was simply sitting at my feet. And as I looked into that dog's eyes, suddenly I thought to myself how sweet and soulful this creature was. I started to breath, I leaned down after looking up at Karen for her cues and laid my hand on his back. The dog did nothing. I petted the dog and managed to keep my hand intact and then received a big lick.
Over the next few years, rottweilers became a solice for me and I trusted this breed. They are huge and menacing looking. They lumber around like giant beings, but they look through eyes that have seen centuries of war and peace and always seem to prefer peace. I fell in love and knew that if i ever were to have a dog, i'd choose a rottie.
When DH and I got married, I never thought we'd get a dog nor that I'd ever want one. DH grew up with dogs on his farm, there were very few years that a dog (or many) weren't romping on their farm. He had boxers and coonhounds and spaniels. He was comfortable and knowledgeable and familiar with dogs. They were part of life. So when I was about 6 months pregnant as a surrogate and I broached the subject of getting us a dog, he jumped at the chance. I wanted a small lapdog. Something that if it chose to turn against me or my children, I could easily kick it or hurt it and keep it from harming any of us. DH tried to sway me to get a rottie, which i really wanted, but feared that maybe they would turn instinctively human and hurt my children. So we looked and found a local breeder who breeds them for agility. Her rotties aren't the meatheads bred for looking mean. They are lean and small and very sweet. But we quickly realized that we wouldn't be able to continue our renter's insurance as they forbid Rottweilers and Pittbulls. So I settled on a designer dog, a Morkie (Maltese and Yorkie mix). DH begrudgingly agreed. I started reading about their temperaments, their lack of potty training skills and that with very small children this was not the breed for us. So DH continued the talk we'd had a year previously about what we both wanted in a pet.
After research i agreed to look at boxers, but couldn't will myself to pay thousands of dollars for one. So I went to petfinder and typed in male, puppy, boxer. By the 7th entry, i'd found our dog. He was a tiny little thing with an adorable black nose and floppy ears. He was about 2 hours away and had been rescued at about 4 weeks old, left in a bag, in a trap out in an abandoned field. We drove the 2 hours to the rescue that had found him and I fell in love with him. He clearly was not the alpha of his pack, which was very important to me. But he was the most soulful and loving. He immediately came over and sat at my feet and licked my shoes. His sister bounded over and tried to knock me down and force herself on my legs and lap. The rescue was begging us to take both, I said i'd think about it. But i'd already made my mind up, we'd take little 'George', his sister was on her own and i wasn't about to make our puppy have to deal with her for the rest of his life.
A week later DH went and picked up 'George' and he came home to join our family. The girls were in love with him, DH said he was the best looking dog he'd ever had and I quickly fell in love with this little being. We took a few days and realized that he was not a George at all. So we decided to start looking for names. We originally wanted a car name, as we are big gear heads. But then I came across the name Koda. It means friend in one of the native american languages. And it was so very fitting, this was my little friend. Dog's aren't just MAN'S best friend, as I was Koda's favorite person in the house. Koda was housebroken with in 2 days, he loved his kennel, though he hated sleeping downstairs while the rest of the family slumbered upstairs. It's like those scenes from Lady and the Tramp, where the puppy whines all night. So the 2nd night DH came and slept on the couch right next to his kennel. Koda was a very happy puppy.
2 years later, he has been the best gift I have ever given myself. I have a loyal companion. A watchdog who protects all of us and sleeps at my door when DH is gone for work and when he was gone for 7 months of training. When DH is gone, Koda is the reason I sleep. He trained easily and takes 3 word commands. He is so good we can leave the house, letting him be free and he doesn't eat the furniture or get on the couch. I had fears that he'd be a Marley from Marley and Me, but instead he is the most obedient and faithful dog I ever could have asked for. I often joke with DH that he was easier than our own children! And the greatest gift my furry friend has given me, is healing. I can go to PetSmart or be around dogs and fear no longer rules my emotions. Instead I'm genuinely in love with them. I see pittbulls and they no longer scare me, instead I'm actually in love with them. Originally we were told that Koda is mastiff and boxer mix. But we and the vet have come to the conclusion that he is more likely a mix of Rhodesian and pitt. Ironic because I always told dh that the only breed I'd never own is pitt. And instead we have the most loving and gentle and faithful dog in the world.
And tonight i realized, sometimes you just have to be the big dog. I went to let the dog out to the backyard to pee and heard some commotion. I saw some teens trying to climb over the next door neighbors fence. And so I gave Koda the Release command that basically means 'do your thing big dog' and he barked and growled and went to the fence. I think he gave those teens the scare of their lives. I'm pretty sure the neighbors went out of town and so the teen son is trying to 'break' back into his house to throw a party. But for the last 20 minutes, they've had a heck of a time doing so between Koda and the fear I heard in their voices after I announced that if need be i'd open the gate and let my Pitt come and help them with that fence.
And so sometimes being or having the big dog is really nice. I'm relieved that I wont have to bother the sheriff by calling them out, because all the teens left. LOL. And i'm selfishly thankful that I have a big dog in my court as my best friend. He's got my back and I have his!
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