How Adopting Dogs Changed My Life

If I’m being totally honest, I didn’t think I had a maternal bone in my body until two years ago, when this little guy unexpectedly came into my life.

Meet Dexter — a half Maltese Shih Tzu, half Poodle dreamboat that completely melted my heart. And the craziest part is, I didn’t even want him at first.

Long story short, my brother adopted Dexter when he was just ten weeks old, and brought him our mum’s place where he would stay. A few months down the track, they both announced that things were getting "too hectic" with their work lives, leaving them with little-to-no time to look after the dog. As a result of this, Dexter ended up in my care.

Needless to say, I was annoyed. My life was pretty hectic too, and I had no idea how to take care of a puppy. At the time, I was barely even managing to take care of myself. Little did I know, what felt like an unwanted responsibility would turn into one of the greatest love stories of my life.

From our first day together as mum and pup, I was surprisingly hooked. Sure, there were moments I didn’t appreciate. Like when the shoelaces on my Vans disappeared, or that one time he peed on my treadmill…but no matter what, I loved him. After all, he was my son!

Flash-forward to the start of 2022, I went from not even wanting one dog, to wanting two — a little brother for Dexter. And so came Simba, the newest addition to our family. My little Japanese Spitz/Pomeranian prince, who is now two years old as of 2023.

Unlike Dexter, who was adopted from one loving home into another, Simba was a bit of a rescue mission. He was being treated, let’s just say, not-so-nicely at his former home. Finding out this information broke my heart, because he is genuinely the sweetest, most loving pooch ever. It took a little time for both dogs to adjust to this change, but I'm proud to say that Simba and Dexter are now the best of friends!

Honestly, if someone were to go back in time and tell my younger self that one day, I’d be a proud dog mum, I don't think I would believe them. Growing up, I always felt a little strange compared to my friends. I never saw myself having kids, and I wasn’t too keen on pets either.

Before Dexter came into my life, I can’t even recall a single time I gushed at the sight of a cute puppy walking down the street, or melted over a picture of a newborn baby. I thought I was, as some people would say, “missing the mum gene.” But now, my feelings have most certainly changed.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not trying to imply that raising dogs carries the same degree of responsibility or complexities that raising children does! That being said, being responsible for the welfare of these two incredible creatures has unleashed a side of me that I didn’t even know existed — more patient, more selfless, more joyful, more affectionate, more…dare I say…maternal.

As for what the future holds, I can still declare with confidence that there are no babies on the horizon…but more dogs? Absolutely! In fact, I'm looking to adopt a third member into the family as we speak, and will keep you all updated on the journey.

Here's to dogs – everybody's best friend. May we love them, may we raise them, may we become better as a result of experiencing their incredible love in our lives.