Tales Behind the Tail | How My Dog Saved My Life

She may not be human, but she is my child, and she’s the reason for me to keep pushing through life.

The day my dog came into my life

Everyone seemed to scan the room with their eyes trying to catch hints from each other; hints that I hadn’t been picking up. I knew there was something strange when I received the last gift that Christmas. I remember the moment that I opened my first Bark Box for Okami. I was so confused until I saw this tiny, furry potato of a dog run out into the circle of wrapping paper. My husband gifted me Okami on Christmas 2016. I didn’t get to spend too much time with her after I got her because of my housing situation, school, and work, so I was very scared that she wouldn’t know who I was when we were reunited. I was wrong about that though - I’ve had Okami since April 2018, and we have been inseparable since.

When Okami was younger, she was very standoffish. She wasn’t very keen on human or animal interaction. She was more catlike than she was dog. It made sense to me, because our Okami girl is very independent. She likes that you are present in the room, but that doesn’t meant she needs you to shower her with love. At least, that’s how it used to be. Now Okami girl gets jealous when Sean and I are playing video games, or if he is getting more attention from me than she is. She loves to cuddle with us in bed, and she enjoys being pet at all times of the day. Since we’ve been together more frequently, we have all grown very close and we thank her for that.

My dog is my hero

My dog springs to my side when she feels that I am in distress, pain, or danger. I have noticed that she is more aware of how I am feeling than my husband is. She is by my side when I am sick - so much as walking me to the bathroom when I’m not feeling well. Lately, I have been going through an emotional and mental battle with myself, and she knows that more than anyone. She helps me in ways even the best psychiatrists and mental health specialists could. She doesn’t attack me with questions of '“why?” She just sits there and gives me her unconditional love, and that’s just what I need in that moment. There’s so many things my dog has helped me through, the world can’t even imagine.

“A dog is the only thing on the Earth that loves you more than themselves.”

The way that she looks at me with concern when I’m having an emotional break down. Her eyes get wide, and her ears fall back, and she nudges her cold little nose against my cheeks. She licks my tears off my cheeks until I laugh at her. Once she gets me to laugh, she snuggles her head into my arms and lays down next to me. She knows the power she has over my heart, and she isn’t ashamed to be close anymore. She’s saved my life when I had strong thoughts of suicide running through my head. It was always a scary place until she came along.

This is why I wanted to go with the name Okami & Co. She is the center pillar of our family, and we love her very much. So we hope you decide to stay connected and see how our family continues to grow!

Pinterest: @okamiandco
Twitter: @okamiandco
Instagram: @stayaloha

Claim your Fur Mom title!

  Having a four-legged pal is probably one of the best things that you could ever be blessed with. Almost everyone that I know has owned a family dog because their parents bought it for them when they were kids. Now that I am the adult in my house, I am fully responsible for everything that my dog does. At least when you were a kid, all you had to deal with was the fun stuff, like taking the dog out, playing with the dog, feeding the dog, bathing the dog, etc. Since it's only me and my furry girl, I am in charge of her appointments, her documents, buying all of her things, making sure she's well socialized so she doesn't go crazy talking to me all day.

  I know what you're thinking, "this girl is crazy, having a dog is nothing like having a kid." Well, I can't even tell you how to compare the two, because I don't have a kid to compare my dog to. I've taken care of a lot of newborn babies, infants, and toddlers. I know that it's extremely challenging. Being a nanny all throughout college, I know that raising kids is a whole different level of parenting. So maybe it's not like having a human child. I didn't have to push it out of me and go through all the pain of the "beginnings of Motherhood", but there is still a lot of responsibility when owning a furry companion. And if you don't believe me, look at your dog right now and tell me that you don't consider that love pup a big part of your family. (And if you said no, then you sit on a throne of lies.)

Okami going through a mood on her birthday

  Just kidding, not really. Anywho, I brought my dog over from the states and she's finally settling into becoming a European doge. She's not a fan of the busy streets. She's not a fan of the barking dogs around our neighborhood. She's not really a fan of being left alone when I go to work for 13 hours at night. We've both had to make some adjustments. She's tried to run away twice, once from the house and once from the dog park. She didn't eat her first week here, but she's starting to gain her appetite back. And her times for her actual sleep schedule (not her morning, afternoon, and evening naps) were all screwed up.

  Luckily, being on night shift allows me to be with her throughout the day when I'm not terrified to walk in the forest to tucker her out with a 5-mile walk. The only downside to that is that I am sacrificing all of my sleep to tend to my Shiba-baby. No, I know, it's still "not as bad" as having a human child so you can hush now, thanks.

  When my dog has a bad day, I know it because she doesn't listen to me. She gets stubborn, she rebels (ie. runs away very quickly without any regards to moving vehicles.) She'll cry literally all day. And if you've ever heard the yelp of a Shiba, then you might as well think it's a dying child, because it's God awful. She'll get sick. She gets hurt. She needs attention, love, and care just like a child would. But no, she's still not a child, and I get that.

Happy baby Okami

  But I love my dog. I love her like I love babies. And I'm sure when the day comes that I have my own human child, then I'll see what this "big difference" is in Motherhood.  But since that's not an option for me right now, I'm going to keep posting my fur-child photos in her cute little t-shirts, mini doge backpack, and yellow rain jacket. I'm going to complain about my lack of sleep, and all of the messes she makes in the house (which isn't a lot, but this fur, my God... let me tell you my new found relationship with my duster...) I'll always find it hard to leave home without her, and I'm terrified when I place her in the care of others. She's my baby. And if anyone has the balls to tell me that my dog isn't important enough because she isn't a human, then seriously, fuck off. I don't think I've cussed too much on my blog or on my social media posts, but really, fuck off mate. Delete me, do it, cause I don't need that negativity in my life, lol. BYEEEE.