It’s not all fun & games…
but in this case, that’s exactly where the adventures all began. While vacationing in St. Maarten, surrounded by some of your closest friends, you may find yourself unexpectedly agreeing to foster a doggo (hell maybe a few piña coladas had something to do with it). I’ve been yearning for a doggo for years, yet never set on changing my lifestyle to fit a dog into my life. Owning a dog requires a massive amount of effort that I didn’t believe I could to take on. However, somehow, when my girlfriend at the time showed me a picture of Tula, we both agreed…
“If we get this dog, she’s going to end up being attached to me forever” - JoeyJoeJosephAnthony
…and anticipated she’d develop a strong bond with me for several reasons. Remote working creates the ability to be present for roughly ~90% of her lifetime. Other reasons in no particular order include but are not limited to: engaging in playtime, cozying up for cuddles, smothering her with affectionate kisses, indulging in playful roughhousing, tending to her when she fell ill, ensuring she’s bathed and fed, accompanying her on walks, engaging in conversation while utilizing a voice I created for her personality, offering soothing pets, and occasionally giving gentle reprimands—although that’s rarely necessary, as she is truly an angel!
Anyways…
The video showcased above depicts the whirlwind pace of my trip to St. Maarten and the challenging first week with Tula, which proved to be a trial for both of us. Right off the bat, I made a point to snuggling up with her on her bed to soothe her during moments of her showing signs of being extremely anxious.
It became evident to me early on…
that Tula, much like her dad, found solace in the warmth of a close embrace. There were evenings when I would drift off to sleep beside her, ensuring she never felt abandoned or fearful now that she was in my life.
02/02/22…
“Tula is doing much better today. She got extremely anxious trying to go up and down our stairs yesterday and I now carry her each time we take her out. We'll have to teach her how to do stairs later on, but for now, I’m going to just carry her. Keeps her anxiety down now and she's breathing just fine!”
02/06/22…
“If you listen closely, you can hear the noise she's making at times. Sounds like she's trying to hold her vomit in. She's lying still trying to sleep.”
“The medication we just started yesterday, so I'm not sure if it needs more time to kick in. She also has been acting 100% fine until she got off the couch all of a sudden to throw up. She's been super playful and affectionate up until then.”
“Tula is starting to make a loud dry hacking noise 1 time every 5 minutes or so. When she vomited, it was a hack that had phlegm come up with it. She now looks weaker than normal after she hacked up.”
“I can bring her in today, it might take me an hour I'm up north in Edgewater. Is that ok?”
I love you so much, Tula! You’re my best friend and I’m so proud of you! You can do anything you want in this world and remember to REACH FOR THE STARS!!!!
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