The Heart Dog

How or when does a dog get this title? It's not spoken of lightly by any one who knows the true meaning of having a Heart Dog.
For me, it's when the relationship I have exceeds "normal boundaries" and by that I mean...I love ALL my dogs, and love them all the same, but there is that one special one that you feel like you've known them for all time. It goes so deep that you know that you will be forever together, in Heaven and on Earth.
My first Heart Dog was my childhood pet named Sunny, and he is featured in the book Tails From Beyond. It's my belief he has come back into the soul of my beloved Dusty, as Dusty frequently does many things Sunny did. Dusty however has his own personality and has earned Heart Dog just by being Dusty. I could go on and on about him, but he gives me pause to say "Lord let me be the person my dog thinks I am" and I have never met a soul so pure as Dusty.
Dusty will be celebrating his 14th birthday in just a few weeks and he is enjoying spectacular health. Yes, he's a bit more blind and deaf and he needs help going up and down stairs. But he still plays, eats and loves life. But I know the time will come sooner than later when we will say good-bye, and I was wondering how I could go on without this extraordinarily special dog.
Enter Moto.
And I wasn't even looking.
Yes we've had our ups and downs and I believe we will continue to have more of these. But something happened yesterday when we were training that made me pause. We'd had yet another great session and I realized he was playing with me, cuddling with me, and enjoying my company. But more importantly, I was really loving being with him. We rolled in the grass and I held his big paws and rubbed his belly and he was reveling in the moment. I realized then that Moto is becoming my next Heart Dog. It is he that will fill that empty spot when Dusty goes to the Bridge.
He may never be a great obedience dog, or really excel in any venue. Oh yes we will try but he's too young to really know what he will or won't achieve.
But I do know this: I am going to love this dog forever. It's in his eyes. I was told by a friend that all dogs come to us for a reason, and I believe that is why Moto is here. I'm so very grateful for him.
No matter what twists and turns our journey takes, I can truly say that I will enjoy every step. We have entered into that magical union between man and dog, that very special bond that I've been lucky to have:
Heart Dog.
Moto is my Heart Dog.