I have always loved dogs. Ever since I can remember I have loved everything about them from their wagging tails, to their sloppy wet kisses.
There is just not one attribute of a dog that does not appeal to me and my heart. I always feel that when you are having a dull day there is nothing a wagging tail and a furry cuddle cannot fix.
With this in mind, having recently left University and not knowing quite what to do with myself I have been having days where I feel, lets just say, more than a little sad and confused. Now don't get me wrong i'm not depressed, in fact I couldn't be further from the word but there are just days where things don't feel like they are going the way you had planned.
When I have days like this I could always and still can in fact, turn to my two 'snuggle monsters' (aka my parents dogs) for comforting hugs, lots of kisses and of course the ability to listen and not judge a single word that has been said to them. Having the ability to turn to these two is great but unfortunately with my current lifestyle, it is not always feasible. This was when I realised what I needed to do - I needed to adopt a furry friend of my own!!
Now as I said I have a rather unorthodox living arrangement at present and most people would have used that as a main reason not to adopt a pet of any description. I however, knew that with the amount of love I and my family have to give, this was simply just a further reason for beginning my adoptive search.
I began by scouring through photographs of pets that the shelters near me had in their care. Of course, as i'm sure you have gathered by now I would have taken every single one of them if I could. Despite declaring on several occasions that I love bigger breeds of dogs and couldn't imagine not having a dog with similar sizing of that of a Rottweiler, Boxer or Labrador in my life, I decided that my first dog should be of a smaller breed (not a Yorkshire Terrier size but still, smaller than a Labrador).
Initially I set my heart on a West highland terrier. I still can't believe that I ever thought I would be able to decide on a dog as I am a firm believer that the dog chooses you - this is certainly true for Molly. After quite a few days of deliberating (the Westie had been re-homed by now) I finally decided that on Saturday 22nd November 2014, I was going to Causeway Coast Dog Rescue to see who was available.
I really cannot emphasise this part enough but when I walked into that rescue centre it was Molly (then named Katie) who decided she wanted me. She followed me around and made sure I knew who she was. My dad commented that she was a trifle bigger than I had originally intended but by this point I could not have cared if she was the size of a mountain lion as we had made an emotional connection. She wanted me and nothing was going to stop her becoming a part of my life.
From there it was pretty simple, she was introduced to my parents dogs as she would be spending time with them and we needed to ensure they could all be friends and ten minutes later she was on my knee travelling to her new home - never to look back to her shelter days again.
I can honestly tell you that adopting a dog has been the single greatest selfless act I have done in my 22 years on this earth (I say selfless, it was not entirely selfless as having her fills a desire I have always had to have my own dog). Molly quite literally became my shadow within an hour of bringing her home. She is with me every step I take during the day (even if I am simply getting something from the other side of the room) wagging her tail and looking up at me with glossy brown eyes so full of love they could burst. I of course spoil her rotten and have probably broken a dozen rules in every 'How to Train Your Dog' manual that has ever been written - but I simply do not care.
Molly has made me happy and continues to make me happy even as my post-graduate life continues to travel on its current path of uncertainty. All I know is that no matter where I end up in the world or in life she will be there with her unyielding friendship, unconditional love and the most powerful anti-depressant known to man - simply put the love of a dog.
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