Dog ownership is a sacred relationship blessed to the chosen amongst the billions of people here collectively on this planet. It is approximated that one in every three households globally have at least one dog as a pet and that the dog, not the cat, reigns supreme as the number one accepted domestic pet. The dog, both man and woman’s best friend, is a loyal, trusted companion for our individual journey through life. The dog can teach us about our own vulnerabilities, insecurities, our leadership, and patience.
As a mystic, I like the romantic belief that the relationship between a human and a dog, master, and servant, is pre-coordinated in both of the soul’s life blueprints. That it starts well before an incarnation and at the soul level, the relationship is already agreed upon; timed to appear in the exact Divine moment for both lives’ Earthly evolution. It’s a little “woo-woo” but for me personally it adds more depth and fulfillment to the meaning of the relationship with my doggo.
When it’s time, we adopt our dogs into a life rich with aspirations for creating a special bond with. A dog, like no other, is an animal where communication and relationship work both up and down the leash. We come to treat our dog friends like valued members of our family and at the end of their lives, whether by accident or by humane transition, we are heartbroken and devastated by having to lose one of our best friends; for the time being.
This article is a tribute to all our furry friends. It gives reverence to the unique specialness a dog’s bond and purpose bring into a person’s life; maybe more importantly here, a veteran’s life. I dedicate this one to my two battle buddies that both stare up at me both when I’m eating dinner at the table or unflinchingly keeping me company while conducting business in the bathroom. This pair of tail wagers have no shame and no judgement and display a loyalty unfound in most humans I’ve shared relationships with. Not necessarily better, but certainly non-judgmental and completely unconditional. And in return, I work on myself through the lessons learned being the best guardian I can for these two. Because they deserve it, and it is an investment in both of them as souls and their quality of life.
Panda
Panda, my “Borador,” is a rescued, female, Border Collie/Labrador mix, from Fort Campbell Tennessee. Rescued from a local kennel as a surrender, she was adopted to be a companion for the family dog, Buddy, who was suffering severe separation anxiety when the family would leave the house. Panda’s eyes were the winning tickets for her adoption because it’s “always in the eyes.” As for Buddy, we would crate him as we left the house and come back to sometimes find piles of his hair, broken nails and one time a tooth in front of the crate door from trying to escape or freaking out. We thought maybe he needed a buddy for Buddy, to keep him company and calm while the family went out for dinner or run errands.
When Panda came into the family dynamic, she was immediately special. At only 18 months old at that point, she accepted her place in an established family of five and a dog. Her backstory, from what we gathered, is interesting; she was a puppy to a chicken farmer who curiously and innocently chased the chickens around the farm. Obviously, the farmer couldn’t permit her adolescent behavior disrupt his farm and the chickens, so she was surrendered to the shelter about a week before we found her. When we met her, she had awesome energy, a great temperament with our three kids and also with Buddy. Once home, she was always polite and accepted her place right away. It must have been a stark contrast from where she had come from on the farm and the week spent in the kennel. It was only a matter of time before she would be “promoted ahead of peers.”
As I transitioned out of the military, it came time for our family’s first post-service move. By this time, Buddy had been surrendered because of his behavioral issues; his separation anxiety had not ceased, he could not figure out how to behave himself in the company of my daughters’ friends while visiting or while I away was on my final deployment. Panda became the lone survivor, replacing Buddy and relocated with us to North Carolina. Not long after the move, the family imploded, separation followed and since I kept the house, Panda stayed with me.
This is the point where Panda became a source of spiritual connection and a healer; a friend to come home to when there was no more laughter from the kids upstairs or the company of family dinners at the dining room table. She and I immediately started up a walk routine in the neighborhood and park next door, every day after work, and formed a relationship up and down the leash. After a while, she wanted to be off-leash and explore so badly but I just wanted to maintain control of her; to never ever lose her while simultaneously suffering though the traumatic dissolution of our family. This fear identified itself as a metaphor for the divorce and as a catalyst I would literally walk through the valley of darkness for a long time; with Panda loyally right there by my side.
Over time, I overcame my sadness and learned to trust her off the leash, to go be a dog and live her natural Lab, varmint hunting, instincts. To obediently serve me as the “canine scout” for the proverbial path ahead and yet always stop to look back and wait for me to catch up. She knew exactly the route we always took, so deviation would have been abnormal and therefore trust was firmly established. She showed me her loyalty but also her courage and youthfulness.
We have been doing that same walk for five years now. She still looks forward to it. And yet, she has smelled all the same smells, chased all the same rabbits, killed all the squirrels making their fatal escape attempts and yet she still loves the one-on-one time with me. That is our special time together She gets noticeably grumpy if it’s raining and we miss our walk together!
So, what do I get out of this time? Well, I get to be out in nature; light or dark, hot, or cold to breathe and reflect. I get to shake off my day or catch up with family on the phone while out following her around. But most importantly I get to see my furry friend live out her innocent life and play; with no cares in the world except that I am still there, proudly following after her.
The Responsibilities
Owning and caring for a dog is not cheap, easy, or pleasant sometimes. Luckily Panda has not had many health issues minus a borderline heartworm issue we continue to monitor and a completely shattered rear left leg before she was adopted. The X rays of her leg are gnarly! Yet, none of these conditions have any effect on her current, general day-to-day health, so she is a happy dog.
But things could have been a lot different. Rescuing a dog is a lot like going on a dating app; you never know what you’re going to get. And sometimes it’s like shopping at a thrift store with items donated, broken and missing parts; labeled as junk. (Forgive me as it is a sad, cold analogy)
But we got lucky with Panda, and I ensure she stays healthy to live a long life with me. Panda has a shot record that has never missed a poke; and yet shots are expensive and need to be administered regularly to maintain a dog’s quality of health. She needs medication sometimes and the total price they say across the counter makes you look at the invoice and mutter, “But how… she’s a dog?????”
Her Lab breed can develop really weird cysts under her coat that need to be examined to rule out cancerous tumors. These examinations cost time and money. She grows a “second coat” in the winter that needs to be thinned in the spring before the hot, humid summer rolls in, which is another appointment made at the groomer. And her diet has moved from dry kibble with weird ingredients to a real, whole food diet to include hardboiled eggs, steamed veggies, ground chicken breasts and bone broth. Her vitamin supplements are not cheap either but prove to help with her joint health, flea and tick prevention and lustrous black shiny coat.
The worst is when I have plans away from home that cannot include her. I have to begrudgingly check her into the “doggy spa” for the weekend. Even though by this point she enjoys “Preferred Member Status” due to all the ladies that work there that love on her when she visits, they know her by name and pamper her during her stay. She has certainly made a profound impression on the staff! I imagine by this time she has her own embroidered robe and slippers while receiving full spa treatment when they do her coat and nails, all while soaking in a bubble bath with cucumbers on her eyelids; it still tears me apart to have to leave her. It’s like leaving a five-year-old on the first day of kindergarten; devastating! I think about her the whole time I am away, and I get the “guilts” knowing she is in a cold, hard kennel run at night instead of snoring at the foot of the warm bed at home.
Panda is Spoiled:
By this time, you’re saying this dog is spoiled. That’s true. My bestie shares the couch with me when it’s time to watch TV at night and snack on popcorn during a movie. She has got her little snuggle spot at the opposite end once the crackle of the snack wrappers have ceased and it’s usually me waking her up, rousting her off the couch because it’s time to turn in for the night.
After a quick final potty break, we navigate our way through the killing fields of stuffed animal squeaky toys, where she assumes the position of “Queen of the covers” on the bed. And as long as no one walks by the house, chit chatting she’s normally out, snoring, before I turn off the lights.
She has a two-drawer nightstand at the front door full of old collars, tactical harnesses, handkerchiefs, Halloween costumes, doggy 5K race bibs and retractable leashes. I can’t let go of these things and the collection is growing every time I search Amazon for her birthday or rescue-anniversary gift.
She is my trusted companion on our long weekend camping excursions. She loads up in the back of the truck as I hook up the trailer and sits still as I jockey the trailer into our reserved spot. Even while leashed up outside the trailer and enjoying the fresh mountain or beach air at the campsite, she sees no need to bark at passersby or act like an idiot while out on trail hikes. She is the shining example of a well-behaved dog in public.
Panda also has earned five plastic pilot wings from Delta when we have flown together in business or first class. She calmly and patiently makes her way through TSA, lays in front of my feet at the gate, on the plane and holds her potty until we are at an appropriate airport service animal pitstop. Even the pilots have come back to give her a scratch behind the ears before takeoff. She is a real globetrotter!
And Now, Panda is a Big Sister
Panda is seven this year which makes her 49 in dog years. Coincidently, I am turning 49 this year, so were like “twin besties” until her birthday in May. So, with her heading over the hill with me this year, I thought it was time to introduce another dog into our household dynamic for her to imprint all her good habits and behaviors onto as a prodigy. I thought she was ready now, as I always felt she got robbed from being a “momma dawg” due to getting spayed at such an early age of 18 months. She has always been good with the neighbors’ dogs, so I thought it was the right time.
I really enjoy Panda’s mixed Lab breed, so I started looking for another rescue in the same Lab- mix breed category. I found one a couple weeks ago at the local rescue facility in town and we both took the trip over to see him. His coat matches Panda’s; black with a white chest and looks more Lab-Shepherd by the features of his face, eyes, and gait when he trots. Younger than Panda when she was adopted, this was going to potentially be an 8-month-old puppy in a home of an “old man” and an “old woman!” Life was going to be different.
First, I went into the facility while Panda waited in the truck. I met the little guy and asked the volunteers if we could do a doggy meet-and-greet outside with Panda. During the visit, Panda was super interested and polite, but the little guy was distracted and just happy to be outside to smell the flowers. In these situations, it’s always hard to judge whether it’s an actual good match.
The facility was shorthanded volunteers and with a growing number of people showing up to adopt, the lady said she had to take him back in to help other potential adoptions. And here is where the feeling of “scarcity” and the “fear of missing out” (FOMO) is realized. It’s a natural feeling, where you have to make a judgement call based on the little performance you have seen of a dog in an unfamiliar environment and weigh it against the potential of what could forever be. It’s not fair, but you have to go with experience, intuition, and the signs you are seeing of signs of compatibility to your own situation.
As she was walking away with him on the leash and as he looked back at me and Panda, I said, “Hold on, we’ll take him.” “Great!” she replied, “I’ll get his paperwork pulled and have it ready up at the front desk.” Immediately, it’s a “Oh boy. Did I just jump the gun?” “Did I really put all the thought into this? Are we really ready for new, puppy energy in our relaxed and chill routine?” But that look that look he gave us….it was like it was scripted in a movie; a soul blueprint, pre-life movie.
I have adopted dogs before where it just didn’t work out for me, the family, the dog, or the timing. It’s hard not to put guilt and self-judgement upon yourself in these situations especially if it’s a case of surrendering a dog like Buddy. You always want to do right by the dog. It’s not about you as much as it is about the dog. Going back to the pre-life soul blueprint, whether it works or not, it’s all agreed upon between souls beforehand and freewill here allows us to change the course of our future paths. Since the universe is all self-correcting anyways, I said;
“Fuck it, we need this; both of us! When you know, you know and sometimes different is good!”
I put Panda back in the truck and strolled back inside to the front desk. The paperwork, local background check and adoption fee was handled efficiently and then he was escorted up to me. His tail was wagging so hard that the rest of his body couldn’t keep up.
His eyes were saying it all; “Oh hey human, you’re back; cool! I’ve never been up to the front desk before, what does this mean?”
After the formalities and the “Good lucks!” I grabbed the leash, and we marched out of that prison together, not looking back, liberated from an unfortunate environment of broken dreams and stolen hopes into a new, mutual friendship that promised freedom and another chance of loyal kinship. The relationship was already starting; both up and down the leash.
Ronin
We all returned straight to the house and immediately we took a tour of his new home; walking him on the leash though every room he was invited in for now. I had to dive under the bed for the old, large collapsible metal crate, constructed it and positioned it in the corner of my room. Then we all went out back and toured his new, fully grassed lawn and fenced-in yard.
The outdoor cat immediately did not take a liking to him at all; bowing up and acting like an asshole to the new, curious, happy pup. We went back inside, took some pictures together and I started organizing the adoption paperwork in his new doggy “dossier” binder.
Choosing to rename him from the typical, generic “Sinbad” moniker most breeders or kennels choose from as a temporary, kennel-name for a male dog, I felt his stray backstory more appropriately represented him as a drifting, wandering, masterless student of the Way; i.e.; he was therefore inducted into our modest clan as Ronin. Ronin: The Brown-Eyed Samurai!
Ronin & Panda
Now, I am the proud chief of two black Lab-mix doggos for the tribe. That is, two sets of brown eyes staring up at my Doritos bag – not me; just the bag!
I, and most believe, having two dogs is essential to their healthy social lives. Panda, the Jedi Master, now has a padawan to teach and Ronin has two seasoned masters between both Panda and I. Panda has another dog to challenge, communicate, play with, and keep her company while I am at work. Ronin now has a home, a purpose, and a responsible owner to give him a long promising life.
And the leash continues to facilitate it all. For now, we do separate walks which means I get twice the outside time to continue my own spiritual healing and grounding. When it’s her turn, Panda continues to explore off-leash on her own and display an unmatched trust and loyalty. And when it is Ronin’s turn, he and I train the basic and essential commands; walking side-by-side, he on my non-dominant, non-firing side, while maintaining good eye contact and seeking approval.
And to think, just a little piece of red nylon webbing that connected us both, from hand to collar, started it all.
The Tribe is complete, and the Way is forward.
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Robb is a retired active Army veteran of 21 years, primarily serving as a Cavalry Scout. Having accomplished multiple combat tours, diverse global assignments and leadership roles, Robb retired as a First Sergeant of Shadow Troop, 1-33 CAV (Rakassans). From there, Robb went on to attempt his luck in the civilian sector as a Reliability Engineer at an international paper processing company during the pandemic. Not quite satisfied and feeling the draw to serve once again, Robb made his way back behind the gate working with some of the nation’s tip of spear warfighters on Fort Liberty, NC.
It was during this time that he was drawn into an esoteric spiritual journey of self-discovery and began peeling back the onion of how vanquishing spiritual warfare can serve as a personal force multiplier. Dropping all ties to dogmatic religious principles, Robb solely embarked into studies of the mystical and metaphysical for the answers of life. Now forged with this newfound purpose, Robb blends his current path of spiritual ascension along with his past experience of the rigors of military service in order to uplift the future of his brothers and sisters in arms.
“The answers we all seek lie in potential.”
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