Just Be There
From Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Hilarious, Heroic, Human Dog
By Kathryn Kazoleas

Just being there for someone can sometimes bring hope when all seems hopeless.
~Dave G. Llewelyn

Before we were married, my husband Chris surprised me with a picture of a four-week-old English Bulldog puppy and informed me that she was ours. We had been talking about getting a puppy for several months, but I never thought it was the right time. We had picked out this puppy together, but I hadn’t been brave enough to call the breeder and put down the deposit. Chris took matters into his own hands. Little did he or I know at the time what a gift he was giving me.

Ruka turned out to be one wild little girl. From the moment she marched her round little belly into our home, she was stronger in will than I ever could have imagined. If she didn’t get what she wanted, she’d tell us by means of puppy whimpers and barks. If she didn’t want to do something, she wouldn’t. There was no negotiation. (Keep reading)