The Best Online Date of My Life

This dog. This energetic, kiss-happy, 38 lb. bundle of magic. Nash is all mine; my second dog. I think Cadence, my first dog, lives on in Nash’s sweet, loyal temperament. This dog shaped package of breathing love, turns 4-years-old today. I adopted him when he was a few days past his first birthday. I really wish I had known him as a puppy. He’s so dang handsome as an adult dog, I can’t imagine how adorable he was as a wee one.

I spend a lot of time worrying about him. He could run away, he could get into a bad fight with another dog, or he could eat something bad for him. I don’t like to take him on playdates with friend’s dogs because there’s always that what if hanging out there. I have a bit of PTSD from a fight he had with a dog I tried to foster at the beginning of the plague lockdown. This too shall pass.

I often say that finding Nash was the best online dating I’ve ever done. I found him on a random Wednesday home from work with a migraine, and sadness. It was about 2 months after Cadence died and I woke up feeling morose with the migraine. I realized I was morose and migrainy because I missed having a dog. So, I hopped on Petfinder.com and it was love at first sight. His profile was gratefully remiss of gratuitous fishing shots, or posing with his sweet ride.  He did have a weird name but it wasn’t Todd, so not a deal breaker.

Nash did try to bounce midway through our first hang, however. He saw his opening while on our get-to-know-you walk through the aisles of Petsmart where we met. Escaping his lead, he made it to the inside of the entrance vestibule. I did my best Rowdy Piper move and landed on top of him so he couldn’t escape. It may have been too early in our relationship for that much physical closeness but I knew I had myself a good one and didn’t want him to ghost on me.

I managed to get the lead back on him and we continued our stroll through the aisles as I tried to stop hyperventilating while also checking out all the cute dog toys I could buy my new love. We strolled back to the maitre d, or the adoption guy, and I asked a few clarifying questions as Nash, or Shieko as he was then known, leaned his little body against me, waiting for me to finish up so he and I could begin our lifetime adventure together.

Maybe moving in together within the first 2 hours of knowing each other is impetuous, but I knew he was a keeper. Nash seemed incredibly happy to be on his way out of the Petsmart and into my sweet ride. Definitely the best online date I’ve ever had.

Happy Birthday, sweet Nasher.