Happy early gotcha day to Kristal's dog, Hannah
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Hannah was timid the first night she spent with me, as you can see on the left. A year later, she's blossomed into such a beautiful and sweet dog. Photo: Kristal Dixon/Axios
Kristal here. Friday marks one year since I adopted Hannah, and I can say without a doubt that she is the dog I didn't know I needed.
I adopted her three days before my father died, and many friends have said the timing was intentional — that she came into my life for a purpose.
- Whether deliberate or not, Hannah's presence changed my life for the better.
When I first brought her home to foster, she was timid but sweet. Shy, but curious. She accepted rubs and scratches but didn't openly solicit them. She followed me around but kept her distance.
- I gave her space to adjust to me and her new, plant-filled surroundings. By the end of that three-day trial period, I knew she wasn't going back to the Atlanta Humane Society.
- Hannah chose me as her person.
State of play: Over the last year, I've watched Hannah's true nature surface: She's confident, intelligent, and gregarious.
- Unlike her introverted human, her big personality means she loves greeting people and relishes the attention.
- Her high energy and strong desire to play can be overwhelming at times, so I'm always reminding her that she can't body-slam everybody she meets.
Yes, but: I also learned she was leash-reactive, and would pull or lunge in an attempt to greet every dog she saw during our walks.
- To stop this fixation, I began offering treats when we saw other dogs and I've seen a dramatic improvement in her behavior. She's even stopped trying to chase squirrels!
Of course, Hannah has improved my quality of life. Instead of staring at a computer screen for hours on end, I'm now regularly taking an hour-long walk in the mornings and a 30-minute walk in the afternoon (in addition to my normal exercise routine).
- I've also learned to be patient when training and that making sudden changes to her diet could lead to some awful accidents that always happen while I'm sleeping.
- I've also learned to spot when she suddenly makes that weird smile that means she's about to vomit.
- We're regulars at Fetch Park at The Works where she loves to make new friends and run up to every human for some affection.
Having a friendly, high-energy dog has also forced me to engage in small talk with people who are curious about her breed (mixed?) and enamored with her ears. That's something this introvert wouldn't have voluntarily done a year ago.
The bottom line: Life with Hannah has made me realize that I love the warmth of a dog snuggled next to me whenever I'm reading, watching TV, or scrolling on my phone; that I'm OK with a few dog toys scattered on the floor; that I can live with her late-night paw licking sessions; and that no matter how terrible life has been, I know she'll always be there for me no matter what.