Jackson: The Unofficial Therapy Dog

I think it goes without saying that we’re always happier and having more fun when we have pets. They give us all the love, companionship, and therapy in the world. And my family and I have had no shortage of it the last 9 years, thanks to our beloved dog, Jackson.

In January of 2012, we lost our family dog, Maddie. Without Maddie, the house felt so empty, lifeless, and sad. Every time I walked into the kitchen, I’d look over and see that the spot where her bed used to be was empty. And I’d start crying uncontrollably every time. I was 18, and it was the first time I’d ever lost a pet. It was devastating. After 12 and a half years, it was a new, unsettling feeling to not have a dog at home. The house didn’t feel like a home anymore. It just didn’t feel right to any of us.

So in May of 2012, we decided to get another dog. And this time, we wanted to adopt a rescue dog.

My mom looked online at several dogs available for adoption and eventually settled on one that we all liked: Jackson! We went to an adoption event to meet him, and as soon as we saw him we all immediately knew that we wanted him. We also knew we were going to give him a different name because his name was originally Mart.

But what we didn’t expect was to end up bringing him home so soon.

Later that same day, we got a call from the adoption service saying that if we wanted to adopt him that they needed to bring him to our house that day. We were all taken aback. We weren’t really prepared to bring him home that day. But we knew for sure that we wanted him, so we went forward with it.

They brought him to our house within a few hours of that phone call, and as soon as he got here, he knew this was his home. And so did we.

The last 9 years have been an adventure with Jackson around. He’s brought so much joy and love into our lives. He’s super goofy and playful, but also snuggly and chill. He’s always down to play as much as he is to snuggle up and watch TV. He’s down for anything, from naps to road trips. And he enjoys everything to the fullest.

It’s easy to be happy when you’re around him!

He’s the most communicative and expressive dog I’ve ever met; I always joke that he has better communication skills than most people. You can always tell exactly what he’s thinking through his priceless facial expressions and gestures.

He’s super smart and so sensitive to how other people are feeling. So much so that he could’ve easily been a therapy/emotional support dog if we decided to have him trained. He always knows when someone is feeling down, and will immediately jump in to make people feel better.

Through his empathy and support, he’s gotten us through some tough times.

In the first year of having him, he was there for my mom when I left for college and she got divorced for the second time. He was there for me a few years ago when I moved home after a disastrous grad school experience.

He was there for us when my grandmother went to a nursing home in June of 2019. Before the pandemic hit, we would bring him to the nursing home with us when we would visit her (this nursing home allows dogs as long as you provide proof of vaccinations and all that). He not only lifted our spirits, but he always brought plenty of joy to all the residents and staff there too.

And he’s been there for all of us through the pandemic. Playing with him and cuddling with him has really helped us all from going insane. We love being home with him just as much as he loves having us home all the time.

He’s been there for us through thick and thin, and we’re eternally grateful he’s part of our family.

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