Everybody has made such wonderful points, and I think it might be a little of everything combined. I don't think it is specifically the "tripawd" experience as much as it is the circumstances of what brought your bond closer. My Rosie girl was a quad. But her circumstances were quite traumatic also. She was brought in to the hospital I worked at as a stray hit by a car. 2 animal control officers had been chasing her for 3 days. In the process she ran head first into a moving car. They carried her limp body into the hospital. We didn't think she would make it. I assisted in her care and did not leave her side until she was awake and stabilized. She looked like an overgrown Boston terrier with a muzzle on, lol. Obviously she was too big to be a Boston, and once she came to and stopped thrashing frantically I slowly took her muzzle off … and fell in love with her pibble face. I worked on her rehab with her, and when she was strong enough to go to the shelter to be adopted out I could not do it. I took her home. When that dog looked into my eyes, she melted my heart every time. I needed a companion, she needed a safe and loving home. We both got what we needed. 

So I don't know if they are "born" that way, or if like people you grow a special love for each other and a special bond like some of the friendships here in Tripawds. Maybe it is just karma that you are meant to meet, and life leads you through its paths to each other. I do believe that some things happen for a reason, maybe both answers are right 💘

Good question. 

There's really no question that the cancer journey strengthens the bond. I always felt like Rocky and I were in a war together. When it stopped, I truly felt like I was standing on an empty battlefield in my living room. It was just a very eerie feeling. 

But I also think - had the cancer, the amputation, none of it ever happened - that Rocky would still be my heart dog. He was the first dog who was truly "mine." And I'm guessing I was the first person who was truly "his." He had been so much just to get to me. And once we find each other, our personalities meshed together so perfectly. 

That is such a Paula-question... I totally get where you're going with this but I do believe that the two years of , let's face it, hospice care in a way I still got with Manni completely changed me and changed my heart in a way, too. When you put all your focus on the care for and the survival of your dog and when that is pretty much all that occupies your mind for all that time and when you face despair inside all the time - how can that not change the way we feel towards an animal, or anyone, for that matter??

Unlike Rene however, I am not entirely sure that this changed me for the better. I am more solemn, I still hurt and still ask myself if I had not rather not loved and not lost. 

As much as I am with you in that I would love to believe that this one dog was the one for me, for my heart and from my heart, I also vividly remember how often I was at my wit's end with that guy, how he annoyed the heck out of me, but yes: what I do believe is that some pets are closer to our hearts from the start than others. (In fact i believe that works the other way around, too: I have met combinations of human/animal, be it dog, horse, cat, or whatever, that just were not a good fit at all...) 

I do, however, believe that Manni was meant to end up with me and that he had the potential for becoming a danger to society if he had ended up in different hands (same goes for my horse, actually...). And by the way: MY dog did so NOT love unconditionally. So maybe we should also make a point of asking them how they feel about this issue!?