What Creates a Heart Dog

Some dogs just seem to have a dramatic effect on us, much more than any of our other dogs—a heart dog –one that bonds with you deeply. If you’ve ever had a heart dog, you know it – they bond to your soul.

I’ve been very fortunate to have owned two heart dogs, both springer spaniels. One may have been more of a heart dog than the other, but perhaps it is because her death is more recent.

My first heart dog was Kaylee, who inspired me to become a writer because she challenged me in many ways—from nursing her back to health after she fell off a cliff at nine months of age with a leg broken into five pieces, to getting bone cancer at the age of eight, and finally to paralysis. My boss let me bring her to work with me as an environmental consultant, forever making me love my job. So Kaylee was with me all day every day. We learned whitewater canoeing together as she sat between my legs while the canoe bumped through class II and II rapids. Kaylee went hiking and camping with me and my husband in many states, and she attended my wedding reception at our house. Eventually, her healed leg was amputated due to bone cancer, and later that year she became paralyzed in her hind end. She never lost her joy for living, even with her limited mobility. 

 

Kaylee passed away in 2003 and was followed within two weeks by Cassie, my second heart dog. Cassie went to work with me at eight weeks of age, and stayed as my working companion throughout her life, which ended in 2015 when she developed a brain tumor.

Cassie had a way of looking at me—always directly into my eyes. She seemed to peer into my soul. She could always “talk” me into doing things with her, like going to the forest preserve for long walks. Cassie also enjoyed whitewater canoeing, but she needed more attention, which led us to agility. Our trainer said Cassie had great potential as one of the fastest springers, which motivated me to enter many trials. Cassie’s ribbons filled the wall of my breakfast room. But all that ended when she developed coon hound paralysis (now called acute canine idiopathic polyradiculoneuritis (ACIP)) on her third birthday. Cassie made a full recovery, but my vet said, “No dog parks, groomers, agility trials, or day care,” because it might trigger a relapse.

At the age of eight, Cassie developed chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) which was treated with drugs for several years, although the steroid prednisone caused her to develop a leaky bladder and lose her fur on her tail. Although her leukemia was controlled, it likely led to a secondary cancer, which was the brain tumor that caused her death at the age of 11 ½.

It’s been over four years since Cassie died and not more than a day goes by that my husband or I don’t mention her name, mostly in comparing her to my current cocker spaniel, Buffy.

Cassie really touched my heart.

After having owned two heart dogs and reading about heart dogs in Dogster Magazine , I think I have an idea of what may create a heart dog.

What can create a heart dog

• A dog that survived a major illness
• You are going through some major life issues
• You only own one dog
• You’ve owned the dog since it was a puppy
• You are with your dog for much of the day
• Your dog influences many of your decisions, either daily or lifestyle, or both

Cassie definitely looked at me much more than my other dogs, certainly much more than the cocker spaniels that I inherited from my mom.  Could her eyes have had something to do with our deep bond? A recent study shows that dogs eyes have changed as they became domesticated from wolves. The photo in this article definitely show Cassie’s eyes, and very similar features.

They say a heart dog comes along rarely, often only once in a lifetime. I hope not. I’ve had two already, and I’m really hoping my next springer spaniel will be another heart dog.

Have you owned a heart pet? Please leave a comment about him or her.