Rita

I grew up with dogs, but hadn’t had one since moving out on my own.

But I wanted one. Badly. My work schedule was the issue. How could I care for a dog with the hours I had at work.

But things had changed career wise. Things had settled. Schedule was more routine. Work in general was more reliable. And I had a roommate that could back me up a bit on the odd crazy day.

I was also feeling very lonely. Things with Stéphane were great and all. We were really close friends. After 4 years, I still had hope that something more would materialize, but wasn’t going to wait around any longer either.

Didn’t want to look for another guy. That wasn’t of interest. What I had with Stéphane was enough. But it was time for a real companion. It was time to get a dog.

I started digging through listings online. I didn’t want a breeder dog, I wanted a rescue to bond with and become whole with. So the shelters and rescue sites became the most frequently visited websites in my browser history.

Until one day, laying on the grass at Allan Gardens, watching all the other neighbourhood dogs on their walks and playing, I found the listing for Rita. A Costa Rican street dog,  a total mutt. Heinz 57 breed. Brought to Canada by Save Our Scruff, a local rescue. She spoke to me.

I knew I’d found my dog. This was the one. Everything in her profile was just me to a T. I knew we’d be soulmates.

So the process began to adopt her.

Everyone was on board. Stéphane wrote a really good reference letter to help me secure her.

And then a false start bringing her home… when she ran away before even getting inside.  I was devastated. But thankfully she was found unharmed by Toronto Animal Services.

The rescue got her back and was still willing to let me have her. She came home for real a couple days later.

She’s a very anxious dog. Not great with people. And not great sharing her space. But once she warms up to you, she loves you to bits.

It was a process for Stéphane. He loved dogs. Or at least the idea of dogs. But had bad experiences with them as a child that had scared him.

So when he came to meet Rita for the first time a few days later… she growled, snapped her teeth, and wasn’t very welcoming… it didn’t help.

But this dog was different. This dog was my dog. Stéphane wasn’t going to let that stop them from forming a relationship too. As scary as the teeth and growls may have been, he was going to keep trying.

Over time, his understanding of her grew. Her understanding of him grew. And they too fell in love with each other. Forever changing Stéphane’s relationship with dogs.

But also… changing his relationship with me.