The Best Surprise....

Hey friends! So I’m a little late in getting this blog started considering it’s chronicling Tier’s life and I’ve already had her for over four weeks! But, I gotta start somewhere right!? So, here we go, the events leading up to and the day I got Tier…..

After Brear passed away my mom and I were searching, searching, searching for a German Shepherd (GSD) puppy.  She had suggested looking at getting a different breed since Brear was a German Shepherd and thought maybe I would bond better with a different breed.  We went to Barnes & Noble to check out the dog books and the second I saw the German Shepherd book I knew I need another one! There is something about the GSDs that I’m in love with; when I see one it brings a smile to my face and makes me happy!

After determining I needed another GSD we went online to try to find a breeder.  After countless breeders and no luck we finally stumbled upon Adel Haus German Shepherds.  When I looked at the puppies section there were 7 puppies but it didn’t say any of them were available.  I tried to write Adel Haus off because of that but for some reason just couldn't!  I went back to the website numerous times and had this weird feeling that I needed to call, even though the website didn’t say any puppies were available.  My mom called for me because I was still struggling with discussing Brear and we talked on speaker phone with the breeder for almost 45 minutes! Fortunately, she said she had one female and two males left so we scheduled a time to go see the puppies two days later.  After getting off the phone with her, for the first time since Brear died, I felt hope and happiness again.  I felt like there was something pushing me to call Adel Haus and I’d like to think that something was Brear watching over me.

Two days later we were on our way to Julesburg to see the puppies.  I was so excited I could hardly stand it and I refused to drive any less than 5 over the speed limit….I’m amazed I didn’t get a ticket considering how much of a lead foot I had that day!  We arrived that afternoon and were welcomed into the garage to get to the backyard by Christy, the breeder.  The first dog we met was this poor little pit bull that had been rescued from being a bait dog by Christy and her family.  She was the sweetest little dog, it really boggles my mind how people can subject dogs to such injustice!  We then went out into the backyard where we were greeted by 5 Shepherds!  It was a little intimidating at first considering there were these 5 huge GSDs but I was soon put at ease when Olli, the biggest GSD, came up and licked all of our hands.  

From there we headed to the pen to let all the puppies out.  I was a little shocked that Christy let all the puppies out with the big dogs but, her policy is that all her dogs will get along and if there is a dog that won’t get along with the others then that dog is rehomed.  We spent a long time playing with all the puppies out in the yard but, the second I laid eyes on the female puppy I knew she was “THE ONE”!  After playing for quite a long time, we put all the puppies except Tier back so we could meet their father, grandfather and grandmother; Tier’s mother was sent to Germany after the puppies were weaned to do some showing and Schutzhund competitions. 

After meeting Tier’s father, grandmother and grandfather, we went inside Christy’s house to play with Tier and her grandfather Olli.  I was immediately in love with Tier but over the next hour I fell in love with her grandfather as well!  Olli is this big, beautiful Shepherd with the sweetest, gentle giant type personality!  Tierney was climbing all over Olli and getting in his face but he never once got angry with her!  Although, he did push her out of the way a few times when she was getting petted more than he was….Shepherds tend to be attention whores and Olli is no exception!

After spending a couple of hours at Adel Haus German Shepherds it was, unfortunately, time to head back home.  We decided that I could come pick Tier up on Tuesday, December 11^th, in the afternoon after my Physics final.  I literally didn’t know how I was going to last until Tuesday, a whole week, before she would become all mine!  But, Christy was going out of town to San Diego for a dog show and there was no way to get Tier before then.  So, I begrudgingly accepted the fact that I would have to wait for a week until the little monster became mine!   

The Thursday before I was to receive Tier my dad and I had a run scheduled with FCRC and a potluck with the club afterward.  That day I hadn’t been doing well because I was missing Brear, wishing I had Tier to hold and comfort me and was just really not wanting to go to the run club event.  I told my parents I would meet them at their house and then my dad and I could drive to the run club together.  On my way to their house I called them to let them know that I was on the way and that as soon as I got there we needed to leave but, much to my dismay, they said they were driving back from Greeley and were probably going to be late.  I was so mad!  I couldn’t believe that my dad would be making us late to an event I wasn’t even feeling like going to!  I arrived at their house, changed into my running stuff and waited and waited and waited some more!  At 5:40 pm they finally showed up, leaving only 20 minutes to get to the run club and my dad wasn’t even changed into his running clothes yet!  My mom came into the house and said that my dad was out on the patio changing and I should go out there so we could leave.  I thought, “what in the HELL is he doing changing on the patio!?”  It never dawned on me that maybe that wasn’t the case…..

I stomped out the door of their sun room onto the landing, which is a flight of stairs above the patio, saw my dad standing there not changing, and asked, “WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING!?”  To which he replied, “Trying to get your dog to potty!”  At that second I saw her walk around his legs and look up at me and that’s when I became unglued!  I went running down the stairs as fast as I could, fell to the ground, grabbed Tier up in my arms and started sobbing uncontrollably!  Finally, my heart was made whole again; finally I had my best friend back!  In that moment I felt so much sadness for the loss of Brear but so much love and hope for my new baby, Tier!  I spent the rest of the evening following Tier around, holding her, playing with her and basking in the extremely bittersweet feeling of what the future is to hold!  What I didn't know is that Christy had called my parents the day before and asked if they wanted to meet her in Hudson to pick Tier up early.  My mom wanted it to be a surprise so she didn't tell me that Christy had called.  What a perfectly beautiful surprise that became one of the best days of my life so far!

Since Brear has passed I’ve done a lot of thinking about dogs and what they mean.  It amazes me that something that can’t even speak can hold your heart with such a profound grip.  Brear was everything to me, my companion, running partner, huge source of joy, source of occasional frustration, shoulder to cry on, my biggest fan, and my very best friend.  Life has been extremely difficult without her and there is nothing in this world that can replace her.  I miss her constantly and through the tragedy of losing her I have learned that it’s not the loss of the past that I will miss, it’s the loss of the future that I was supposed to get with her.  And, to be honest, I was a little apprehensive when getting Tier.  I thought, “What if I constantly compare her to Brear?  What if she doesn’t live up to what Brear was?  What if I don’t bond to her like I did with Brear?”  But, the second I saw that beautiful little monster I knew that she was a gift, a gift that was coming straight from my big beautiful girl, Brear!  And, I can’t wait to see what Tier’s journey will become! We will have so many adventures together and each and every second I get with her I will thank my previous best friend for my new best friend, I will thank Brear for the gift of Tier!

I recently read a quote that I will leave you all with that I think sums up a dog –

“It’s Just A Dog”

From time to time people tell me, "Lighten up, it's just a dog," or, "That's a lot of money for just a dog." They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent or the costs involved for "just a dog."
Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog."
Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog," but I did not once feel slighted.
Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by "just a dog," and, in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.
If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you will probably understand phrases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise."
"Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy.
"Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience that makes me a better person.
Because of "just a dog" I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.
So for me, and folks like me, it's not "just a dog" but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past and the pure joy of the moment.
"Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.
I hope that someday they can understand that it's not "just a dog" but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being "just a human."
So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog." just smile....because they "just don't understand."
- Anonymous