Karl's Story: Why Everyone Should Rescue a Dog

This is a post I recently wrote for Dublin Dog, a company that makes awesome products for adventurous dogs and their owners. I thought it was worth a share here and an opportunity to show off pictures of what I think is the most handsome dog in the world!

Finding a Home- A Dog’s Perspective

“Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog, the world will change forever.” 
― Karen Davison

I spent the first six months of my life living on the streets. Life was lonely.  I didn’t have anyone to play with me or take me places or pet me. In order to find food I had to search all over, sometimes in peoples’ trash or eating random scraps I found on the street. The nights were cold, and I liked to hide under cars to stay warm and protect myself. Eventually, I found me way to a mountain where some really nice humans lived. And one day, one of them even took me home and gave me food and a warm place to sleep.

At first I didn’t know how to take it; I was timid and even afraid to go inside the house. I had never lived inside a house before. I got really excited whenever I heard the food being poured into the bowl (and lets be honest, I still do) because I knew that meant I was going to get to eat and I didn’t even have to dig in the trash to get it.  The humans liked to pet and play with me and started calling me Karl. I had never had a name before, but I grew to like the name Karl and started coming when they called it.  I even got this cool collar with my name on it.

This one human named Laura seems to really like me and takes me on all kinds of adventures with her. Sometimes she takes me on hikes in the mountains, where I get to run free and sniff everything. I love hiking. Other times, I go with her while she rides her mountain bike and I chase after her from behind. And other days, she takes me to the river while she goes kayaking and I hang out and wait for her to come back to take me for a swim. After a long day of adventuring, I love laying on the rug and sleeping by the fire.

I have also had the chance to make lots of new dog friends and I love going on walks, chasing sticks and running around the woods with all my friends, humans and dogs alike.

While I try to be the best puppy I can, sometimes I still make mistakes. But Laura loves me anyway. She never gets too angry with me and always seems happy to see me. Life with Laura is awesome. I am so thankful to finally have a home and my very own human to play and cuddle and adventure with. Maybe one day all dogs living on the street will be as lucky as me!

-Karl

Finding a Dog- A Human’s Perspective

“Dogs have a way of finding people who need them and filling an emptiness we didn’t even know we had.” –Author Unknown

For the past few years, I have been dreaming about getting a dog, but because I travel a lot for work, I never actually considered it. That is, until the day when a starved and flea infested puppy showed up on the mountain where I was living. Within minutes, he found his way into my heart.

I decided to call him Karl. My plan was to get him cleaned up and up to date on shots, while I worked to find him a home. As it turns out, giving a dog away after naming and falling in love with it is easier said than done, and before long I was scheming ways I could keep him. Thankfully, I have some amazing friends who live on the same mountain where Karl was found and they offered to be his stand-in parents anytime I was working out of town. And with that, Karl found his forever home(s).

For the past two months, pretty much everywhere I’ve gone, Karl has gone with me. I am a big outdoors-woman and love to go adventuring outside. It’s been awesome having a permanent side kick as Karl always seems game for anything. We go hiking in the mountains often. Being part hound, Karl loves to sniff and exploring the woods seems to be one of his favorite past times. Recently I've been training him to go mountain biking with me. Thus far, he’s been a fast learner and keeps up following right behind me while I cruise along the trail.

In the outdoor world, I am best known for my pursuits in whitewater kayaking so its good that Karl seems to enjoy being a river dog. He has been riding with me to the river, hanging out at the take out and watching over the truck, enjoying pets from all the kayakers that wander by. He has yet to go down the river with me, but he’ll have some good role models out there to show him the way if he ever wants to. Here’s a video of my friend’s dog running, swimming and riding down the Green River Narrows in Western North Carolina- http://vimeo.com/79522477

There have of course been some trials and tribulations in owning a puppy. He’s had accidents in the house (fingers crossed we’re past that!), scratches and barks and jumps and all those things puppies love to do. But my love for that handsome little dog is unfailing; My life has a new meaning that I never could have expected a dog to bring me and while he might feel like I rescued him, I know I'm really the one winning in this arrangement. I cannot wait for the many many years of adventures Karl and I have in our future!

-Laura

Many dogs that live on on the streets end up in shelters around the country. Consider making your next dog a shelter dog. Adopt today, you wont regret it!