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| Name: |
Maxwell
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Age: |
Eight years old
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| Gender: |
Male |
Breed: |
Miniature Pinscher/Chihuahua mix
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| Home: |
Chicago, Illinois, USA |
Maxwell is a very special little dog. He came into my life in 2017 not long after my beloved Chuggie, a former dog of the day, passed away after a full life of adventure and love. I thought I was going to adopt a big dog, but like with his predecessor, the first dog I spotted at the adoption agency was very small, underweight, shaking, and gave me the sad "get me out of here" eyes. I just couldn't look any further. The adoption agency told me I was getting a Chihuahua, but it turns out that he's much more of a miniature pinscher based on the traits that came out in him once he got over his shell shock from a difficult past. There may even be some Italian Greyhound in him, according to his veterinarian, which would explain his slender body and tall legs.
Six months after his adoption, after so much patience and investment, Maxwell had really turned the corner in becoming a balanced, joyful dog. And then quite abruptly with a very heavy heart, I had to make the difficult decision to part ways with him in order to undergo cancer treatment that was an emotional turn of events for us both. Very often when the body is immunocompromised, it is unfortunately too easy to pick up a germ from pet exposure that could be life-threatening. In order to live and to maintain the efficacy of my treatment based on my oncologist's directive, I had to find Maxwell accommodations that would eventually allow us the opportunity to reunite.
So Maxwell was away from me for almost a year, which was an even longer time than when we had gotten to know each other at the beginning of our lives together. I was genuinely fortunate to have the kindness and compassion of two sets of treasured friends, who without any hesitation and full of loving support, incorporated him into their households while I went through treatment, moved into remission and recovery.
When it was finally my time to pick Maxwell up when my health had returned, I was worried that the bond might not be there anymore, especially since it had been a long while since his adoption. He'd been living with others even longer than he did with me at that point. But like the heart-tugging happy ending of a Disney movie, as soon as I walked through the door, this sweet dog jumped into my arms and wouldn't stop licking my face with a pronounced sign of remembrance and familial love.
So when we're in the midst of a Polar Vortex that feels like we're living in Antarctica, and the last thing I want to do is bundle us both up to go outside, I remember that moment of our reunion for the necessary warmth and motivation to let this thirteen-pound thrill-seeking canine experience his love of adventure in addition to maintaining the housebreaking, which we worked so hard on!
My canine superhero has been a real joy to have. He is so keen on saying hello to all the humans and dogs he comes across, which can be time-consuming in the third most populated city in America! Maxwell finds his bliss running along Chicago's lakefront in addition to visiting all the dog-friendly shops, but mostly his goal in life is to be cuddled by my side. I feel very fortunate that we have been able to continue on the path we started and look forward to many countless adventures on the road ahead.
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