Losing a pet leaves a hole in your heart that never fully goes away. And after the loss, the questions start to creep in.
When are we ready for another dog? Will we ever be ready? Is it too soon? Did we wait too long?
If I learned anything through this journey, it’s this: everyone’s timeline is different, and there is no right or wrong answer.
Many of you know that Patrick and I lost our beloved Maltese, Gnocchi, after a two year battle with congestive heart failure. He was truly one of a kind. We couldn’t have asked for a better companion or a more perfect member of our family. He is still missed every single day.
For a long time, all of the reasons not to get another dog became our normal. We’re too busy. We work too much. We wanted to rescue, but we had a very specific list of things we were looking for. And honestly, there was that little voice in my head saying, “My last dog was perfect. How could another dog ever compare?”
The truth is, they don’t. You don’t replace the ones you lose. You honor them by opening your heart again when the time feels right.
I filled out a profile on Petfinder and every few days I received a list of dogs that might be a good match. Every single one was adorable. Every single one had a story that pulled at my heart. But how do you know when you’ve found the right one? I wish I had a better answer than this… you just know.
Then one Tuesday, I saw him.
We had a tall list of requirements: younger, non shedding for allergies, a rescue, medium sized, good with dogs, children, and hopefully cats. A tall order, right? Apparently not. Riptide checked every single box.
Now don’t get me wrong. He did not arrive perfect. At ten months old, he had enough energy to power a small city. He was a true Velcro dog, which filled my nurturing side but also made me wonder if I would survive the week without tripping over him. He had some marking habits, a few insecurities from being bounced around, and was a little unsure around men.
He came with a past. He came with quirks. He came with things we needed to work on. But he also came with the biggest heart.
Twenty four hours after bringing him home, I knew I wouldn’t change a thing. Riptide, our 25 pound Cavapoo with eyes that could melt anyone, was exactly the dog we didn’t know we needed.
People often say Riptide is lucky to have found us. The truth? I think we’re the lucky ones.
To everyone who told me, “You just need to do it,” thank you. You were right. Opening our hearts again did not mean we loved Gnocchi any less. It simply meant there was room for another dog to be loved.
And I cannot wait for everyone to meet Riptide… once we work on those manners a little bit.
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