The Beginning

As I continue to observe Gibbs, I have started to think about the time I was first told we were getting him. When we first got Gibbs I didn't even think I'd ever love a dog more than I've loved Yoda. Yoda was my chihuahua who died in a hit and run in front of my house a couple of years ago. There was no warning and never had I thought that I would ever want another dog after that. Yoda had a special place in my heart. I loved and cherished him. When he died, it was as if there was a part of me that died with him. I was heartbroken. We buried him in my backyard. Every night I would go outside and just talk to him about my day. There was an occasional tear but I managed to stay strong because, if Yoda was still with me, he'd lick my face; there was no way I could cry when Yoda was with me so that's what kept me happy. Day by day, it was a lot more difficult to talk to Yoda, and eventually I just stopped going. I would visit him from time to time, but not like I would before.

My parents started a group message and sent all of us a picture of two different dogs. One was a light skinned pit bull that was about seven months old, and one was a dark haired Labrador that was about three months old. I didn't think much of it; who would? My parents had never brought up getting a new dog. After messages between my brothers and parents began popping up on my screen, I decided to read them and join in. My parents were dead serious about which dog we should get. My brothers were just as serious as they were. I didn't bother to reply; they had their mind set and knew exactly what they were going to do. My opinion was never asked or cared for, so I just didn't bother. My parents said that the light skinned pit bull had another loving family that wanted him terribly, and there was no way they could take the opportunity away from that family to love the dog just as much as we would have. It came down to the dark haired Labrador. I didn't want to get involved, so I just stopped reading the messages and let them talk it out.

As soon as I got home, there he was lying next to my mom's feet, a medium sized Labrador. Of course I was scared; I mean, who wouldn't be? I went to my room, and my parents brought him in. They first told me his name was Ranger, but they wanted to change it to Gibbs. I didn't disagree but neither did I agree. I didn't want the dog in the first place; why would I care whether his name was Gibbs or Ranger? They left the room and left him in my room. I stood up, and Gibbs flinched to the point where was he was on the other side of the room. He wasn't trying to attack me. He had that look in his eyes--the look of "don't hurt me please." That definitely got to me; this dog didn't see me as threat that he needed to defend himself against. He saw me as someone who could potentially treat him the way he's been treated before and just wanted it to stop. I talked to my parents, and they told me that Gibbs was found in the streets about a week ago. He was a lot skinnier than he was now due to lack of food and nutrients in his body, and he was badly beaten. His skin had been burned, and there were bruises all over his body. That made me tear up; how could someone in this world treat a dog so horribly?

It made me think of Yoda; how could someone run over a dog and not even bother to stop? There was nothing I could do about Yoda; he was in a better place where he could have all the treats he wanted. I could do something for Gibbs. Gibbs was still living in this world where people like the ones who neglected and abused him still lived. Now he was under our care and protection, and there was no way I would let anything hurt him again.

I let my emotions cloud my judgement, and my past affect my future. I surely did not need a dog, but that dog needed me more than anything. I couldn't let the pain of losing Yoda affect my affection and care for a dog that would love and protect me just as much and if not more than Yoda did. I could see it in Gibbs's eyes; he just wanted to be loved by someone, anyone for that matter. As of now, I love Gibbs so much. Even if it's taken me this long, realizing that I needed Gibbs just as much as he needed me makes my love for him grow more and more everyday.