For the Love of Big Dogs
I can’t say I come from the most dog-savvy household. Growing up in Hong Kong, living in high-rise buildings (many of which had strict dog restrictions) and walking on bustling streets, we didn’t have the most optimal environment for dogs. But my mom and I both loved dogs. I can’t remember how many times I watched Marley and Me with her, and despite a lot of people’s heavy preference for small apartment dogs, big dogs had our hearts. Every summer, when I visited my grandparents in Canada, I would accompany my grandfather on his walks with his big rottweiler named Able, join him during training sessions, and help my grandmother prepare Able’s meals.
When I was older, our family decided to adopt a dog. We also believed in saving a life and adopting rather than buying from a breeder, and we were so excited. We visited a rescue shelter and found our dog, Bagel. Bagel was a big lab mix who had tons of energy. Living in Hong Kong meant we had to get creative with how to help him get his energy out. We taught him how to run on the treadmill, and I trained him to run alongside me as I rollerbladed. But the trickiest thing by far was finding other dogs that he could play with. Big dogs were far and few, and owners of smaller pups didn’t want Bagel playing with their dogs, fearing he would be aggressive. Bagel was just so excited to play, but he was also anxious towards small, yapping dogs. When he barked, other people became scared, but to us, he was our big love bug, who so many people misunderstood.
When my other grandfather passed, my family decided to move in with my grandmother. But the apartment complex didn’t allow dogs at all. We felt we were faced with an impossible decision. We knew Bagel needed to stay with someone he was familiar with, and any adjustments would be very difficult. After a lot of back and forth, our auntie’s family in the Philippines was willing to look after Bagel. We arranged his flight, and for the last 8 years, he’s been living on my auntie’s farm. Even after leaving Hong Kong for high school and then college, every month, I hop on a video call to check in and say hi to Bagel and my auntie. He’s a lot older now, more mellow, and the chickens are his best friends.
I don’t know if he remembers me, but I definitely remember him. Having Bagel was one of my greatest memories but also one of my family’s biggest regrets. The shelter we adopted from was overcrowded and understaffed, and its volunteers were not really engaging with potential adopters. Looking back now, I wish my family and I were more informed on the entire process, especially in an environment and community that wasn’t particularly rescue dog-friendly. I still love animals, and at some point, I am looking forward to saving an animal’s life again, but I am definitely more cautious and patient with the entire process.
After finishing school, I was not ready to adopt yet, but I was looking to help the furry friends community. I came across Lucky Dog Animal Rescue and became more involved as an adoption coordinator after handling dogs at several adoption events. I was blown away and inspired by the scale of Lucky Dog’s community. More importantly, I felt grateful for the transparency and support they give to their adopters throughout the entire process. I love working with amazing people – adopters and Lucky Dog volunteers – to help them find their best fit and make sure they make a well-informed decision. And after all that, when I check in with each adopter and hear how loved each animal is – that’s just such a heartwarming feeling.