I've always heard that life sometimes has a funny way of giving you exactly what you need, but not in the form you expect..

I never expected that form to be in a 50-pound ball of fur who has filled my life with love, laughter, and so many muddy paw prints that I lost count.

I didn't plan on getting a dog until I was much older and had a family of my own and big house, but that changed and I couldn't be happier about it. No one really knew at the time, but I was going through a lot of hardships health wise and mentally, which made getting out of bed and even leaving the house hard. Then a month or so after I moved into my new apartment I came across you and just knew I had to take you in.

7 weeks old, first day home.Me

From the very beginning this dog was cuddly, sweet, but super high energy, forcing me to leave my bed, play and do stuff I normally would have struggled with. Getting a puppy was definitely hard work at first, between him chewing up my carpet, breaking through cages, attempting to crate train, at least it always gave me something to do instead of wallowing or being bed bound 24/7.

Gradually as time went on I realized that with my dog I was getting happier and being more social in the new city I was living in. I had a reason to get up every morning, took him to the park and make friends for him and me, and his goofball self just made me laugh. My favorite thing my dog does is when he gets super excited to see me I.e. when I first usually get home he will jump around like a deer, howl, then jump up and lick me to death right when I walk through the door.

Me

And he has made the not so good times, so much easier. Whenever I had a bad night at work, stressed out or just genuinely upset and crying my dog always come see around and sits his little head on my shoulder or wraps his paw around my arm or just attacks me with more licks Until I either verbally acknowledge him, pet him or stop crying. Or he will just do something goofy or clumsy so i end up laughing.

This 50-pound Dane has brought so much light, joy and laughter into my life, so for that thank you. Bentley, you are a real one. Love you X1000