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| Name: |
Kaia
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Age: |
Seven years old
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| Gender: |
Female |
Breed: |
German Shepherd
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| Home: |
Concord, California, USA |
I had always loved dogs and my first one ever was when I was five and my parents got a German Shepherd puppy named Flashy. Sadly she died after just two weeks from ringworm and we eventually got another dog which I loved very much, a terrier mix I named Bandit. Over the years I had a couple of cats as a single guy but always knew I would get another dog.
In 2009, divorced and faced with loosing my house, I one day looked at Pet Finders since I had considered getting a dog for some time. I saw an ad for some black retriever puppies being shown by a rescue group and was gonna go but for some reason decided against going that day. As I went about my business I came across a lady with the most stunning, platinum blonde lab at her side that simply kept looking at me with that friendly lab face.
In that moment I decided to change my mind again and went to the rescue dog showing. On the way there I got a sudden sense of urgency so much so that I didn't even feed the parking meter as I ran up to the cages in front of the pet food store. I saw a cage with four German shepherd puppies and immediately asked if any were available. The answer was just one left. I picked her up and looked in her eyes and that was it. Her temporary name was "Tiddlywinks" as her and her sisters were named after childhood games.
She was described in her adoption details as her Mom was a German Shepherd but they weren't sure about Dad, but as she grew up it was pretty obvious. I took her back to another showing from the same rescue group two years later and they couldn't believe it when I said this was Tiddlywinks and were all amazed at how big she had gotten (98lbs.) and of course they all said "yup she's a real German Shepherd." The lab pups I had gone to see actually never made it there for some reason, and I did end up having to pay for a parking ticket for not having fed the meter. But that was the best $150 I ever spent (along with her adoption fee)!
After bringing her home I changed her name to Kaia and we have barely been apart since. She has grown into a beautiful lady and she brings me nothing but joy and happiness every day. I am semi-retired right now so we are always together, she travels well, and we always go hiking together every day and since she is a female alpha, sometimes I feel like I am her human and I believe if it were up to her she would never let me out of her sight. We can go out in the woods together and move like we know what each one will do. If I sit and watch a ballgame and get angry at something, she knows I am not angry at her and comes up and puts her head in my lap and licks my face until I can't help laughing.
She is sweet and protective and so smart I could go on and on about her. She is very smart and talented and I even considered making her a search and rescue dog but she is a little too afraid of water and cannot resist chasing a squirrel. She and I even survived being T-boned by a drunk driver while driving home from a hike last year so it is obvious to me now that she is also my guardian angel as she is truly heaven sent. I love my dog very much.
Kaia and I would like to remind everyone to never drink and drive, especially this holiday weekend. Be safe, everyone!
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