Happy “Gotcha Day”, Jarvis!

Meet J.A.R.V.I.S.!

Jarvis is my goofy, smart, sweet, mischeivous Siberian Husky. I don't know what I'd do without him. I had wanted a dog my entire life (and had a soft spot for Huskies) and two years ago a friend tagged me in a rescue shelter's photo of him on Facebook. As soon as I saw his face it was over -- I knew I needed to take him home. I applied, was approved, and finally the day to take him home had come. I had done my research on the breed: I knew they were stubborn, I knew they were smart, and I knew they had a lot of energy... but I had no idea what I was truly in for. He had been re-homed a handful of times in just one year, and I was determined to be his last. He was a challenging boy -- he didn't listen, he was an absolute heathen to walk, and he had SO. MUCH. ENERGY. He was stubborn, but he had finally met his match.

We took it day by day. We enrolled in training classes. We worked together to burn off energy and we learned new tricks. We earned each other's trust. We learned how to be a team.

Then, about a year ago, he got very sick and I almost lost him. He needed impossibly expensive surgery, and I felt defeated. Then we found out the surgery wasn't going to work, and he'd be on meds for the rest of what time we did have together. He taught me that despite our best efforts, we can't always control everything. But that's okay. He taught me patience and adaptability, and that a little peanut butter makes everything go down a little smoother.

I'm happy to say Jarvis recently had a check up, and we found out that he's in great shape, all things considered. Through Jarvis, I've learned that with a bit of perseverance and grit, anything is possible. I've learned that it's okay to slow down sometimes and smell the flowers, or in Jarvis' case, roll around in the grass a bit.

Jarvis is one of the absolute best things to come into my life. If you've been thinking about adding a furry friend to your family, Gone 2 The Dogs Pet Rescue (the rescue I got Jarvis from) currently has dogs up for adoption! If you also have a soft spot for Siberians, MUSH or Hairy Houdini Siberian Husky Rescue may have your new best friend. And of course, the Ingham County Animal Shelter and the Capital Area Humane Society always have cute faces in need of a forever home. Also, you can totally follow Jarvis on Instagram (if you hadn't already gathered it, I'm unabashedly that person).