My Puppy Valentine

Moving to Honolulu Hawaii, was the most exciting adventure we have ever experienced as a Navy family. We prepared for months for the move. We found out that our beloved family cat of 12 years was not healthy enough to make the journey. When we went to the vet to screen our cat, who had been an official family member for 10 years, we were told it would not be wise for him to make the 13-hour flight to Hawaii from Connecticut. Sad and heartbroken, we decided to give Momos to a dear family friend. We knew he would be loved by our friends as much as we loved him, which made the day we said good by a little less tearful, but still so sad. We get updates and pictures of Momos living his best life all the time. We know that he is thriving and happy.

Having to depart with a loved family member is never easy, and we didn't think we would be up for a new addition anytime soon. We arrived in Honolulu in December 2017, moved into our new home in January 2018, and immediately felt that we were missing something. Knowing we had a great yard for a little dog and longing for the companionship you can only receive from a furry friend, I went looking online. We knew how nerve-wracking it was to pick the right family to care for and love our Momos. I wanted to do what our friends did for us for another military family. I was on the hunt for a family getting ready to PCS who needed to re-home their furry family member. I wanted to provide that family the same peace of mind we had about Momos, and I found one.

I made arrangements to meet our potential new family member, Yoda. We went on the evening of February 13th to meet Yoda and check out the family. When we arrived, Yoda was in his kennel. As we talked to his owners, we discovered that they were moving, but the decision to re-home Yoda was because he was not a good fit for their family. Yoda needed a bath and a haircut. You could tell he spent a lot of time in his kennel. As I looked into the eyes of this pup, I could see his sadness. He just wanted to be a good boy and be loved. Talking with his owner about his personality and why they were re-homing him, they explained that Yoda was too mouthy when he played and felt that he was not good with their young children, so he spent a lot of time in his kennel.

I felt so sad for him. I asked if we could take Yoda for a walk and spend some one-on-one time with him. He was so excited to go for a walk, but also so well behaved! He didn't tug and pull on the leash, and he seemed happy to get out of the kennel and stretch his legs. He listened very well and loved being praised. I was already falling in love with this pup. I told my husband that I wanted to take him home. I didn’t have to convince him to let Yoda into our family because I think he could see Yoda for the loving pup he was and wanted to love him, too.

Right then we decided to take him home. At first, Yoda was timid and unsure of his new home or owners, but he just wanted so much to be loved. He would sit in our laps and let us cuddle him and fawn over him. He couldn’t get enough cuddles. Once he learned that he was save and we loved him his personality really began to shine!

And what a huge personality he had. Yoda is a small terrier mix. We’re not sure what combination of terrier breeds he has in him. He has the cutest little snaggle tooth and a very soft velvety undercoat when it’s kept short. If it grows out long, it’s curly and a little more course. He weighs in at a whopping 12 pounds, but he thinks he is a big dog. Actually, he might just think he is a person. He is the baby of the family, spoiled and doted on by everyone. He loves his cuddles, playtime, and family. He is always elated when we come home and greets us with a toy for immediate play time. I read somewhere that this is a great sign of love and affection. I think this is very true in Yoda’s case. It took us no time to figure out that Yoda just wants to be the best boy and be loved.

When we first got him, we kenneled him when we left the house, fearing he might have an accident while we were out. We quickly learned that he did not need a kennel, nor did he like it. I think he thought that every time we put him in the kennel, he was in trouble, or we were displeased with him, which was never the case. When we realized that the kennel caused such a change in his cute and loveable demeanor, we got rid of it. Tossing the kennel strengthened our bond with Yoda so much. Now Yoda is very much the king of the house, but he is a good and benevolent king. So quick to offer a lick and always a good listener. My favorite thing that Yoda does is at night when we are in bed watching TV, he will cuddle up right next to me, but when the TV goes off, and I say, “goodnight Yoda,” he jumps right down and gets into his bed for the night. He just does it! We didn’t train him, or at least I don’t remember training him. He’s just always done it for as long as I can remember. We can tell how much he loves us and we hope that he knows how much we love him too. We shower him with love, treats, and toys all the time. We can’t help it!

His favorite toy is his ball, and he is obsessed. So much so that he has hurt himself while chasing it down, gotten himself stuck while trying to fetch it from under the couch, and drove us nuts trying to get us to throw it for him. Of all the toys in his toy bin, he will always choose his ball. He is excellent with kids too! He has learned that he only gets to play mouthy with his family. He never plays rough and is very careful not to get too rowdy. He loves to play and greets all guest with a toy and a wiggly butt, but his favorite guest is a little tyke that will play his favorite game and throw the ball for him. We have never seen the behaviors from Yoda that his previous owners described. He may not have been a good fit for them, but I could not imagine our family without him!