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Soul Dog
A podcast to celebrate the dogs we'll never forget.
Soul Dog
Darwin
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Speaker:Elaine, please tell me the name of your soul dog. My soul dog's
Speaker 2:name is Darwin.
Speaker:Okay. And how did you meet Darwin?
Speaker 2:So my kids were little and I grew up with dogs and I got to where my kids were like five and six about that, that I knew I wanted a dog. And, and I used to have really bad insomnia. I still do. And I, one night woke up and took my laptop in my bedroom with my ex husband. And basically started doing a search on rescue, Black Lab Rescue Atlanta.
Speaker:Okay. The next
Speaker 2:thing I know, this picture of Jack popped up. And the minute I saw him, I was like, he's my dog. Like there was no, and I woke my husband up at the time and said, Oh my God, I found our dog. And he's like, we're looking for a dog. And so he said, if Jack is still there on Friday, this was a Thursday, if he's still there on Friday, we'll go and go visit him. And I was like, okay, well, I went and saw him on Thursday
Speaker:without
Speaker 2:him and he, Jack ended up coming out, but was so timid. He was about four months old and he was, we think abused and black lab, um, American staff Shire, kind of a pity mix. He came out and had these eyes. And he was so afraid being alone. He took a three legged dog out with him and the people at the shelter said, he can't, he's so nervous. He brought a friend. And so of course I'm like, Oh my God, am I going to adopt too? And the minute I saw him, there was, I truly believe there was a connection that I've never had with any other animal in my life. And it was like, I forced it and my sister's like, I don't know about a rescue and it's a pit mix. And I had no supplies. And we told the kids we had a surprise and they dropped them off for like an evaluation and we had them ever since. So it was like 48 hours. I'm a dog owner. And I had, and I was like running to PetSmart and getting all the supplies, but I knew from the minute. I didn't even want to leave him when I saw him on that Thursday, but I thought, well, I better ask my, let my husband meet him too.
Speaker:Right. Right. Right. So that's how I make him think that it's part of his
Speaker 2:decision to make him think it's part of his decision. Exactly. Exactly.
Speaker:Yeah I think that's with so many wonderful decisions in life, sometimes they're the ones that you're, they're just instinctual and you just. Move forward and you don't know why. It just, it just feels right. You never
Speaker 2:look back. I never, ever, from that moment, he was my soul dog. He was my dog. A hundred percent.
Speaker:His name was Jack when you, adopted him. So how did he come about with Darwin?
Speaker 2:So we are a geeky science family. And we said, everyone put your names like in a hat and I have a stepdaughter and two kids and my, my ex husband and I, we said, okay, well, what is it? And it was so unanimous that all of us love Charles Darwin and being in the South is a little play on that of, you know, we do believe in evolution. And so, uh, so we just all knew there was funny other names, and now I have two other rescues now, but, um, they're all science names. It was a theme and it's just, It fit him so absolutely wonderfully, you know, and when I was him, I would call him, you know, Darwin, Charles Benfield versus like, so it was kind of funny that we use the still use Charles Darwin. So it was great. Yeah.
Speaker:How would you describe his personality or, but in three words, how would you describe him?
Speaker 2:Loving, I want to say like close. Was always within a, you know, close proximity and just, uh, sweet because he had a look that people were always, I hate that because people look and you judge someone by its cover and he was the kindest of any, any animal. And I grew up with dogs and just the sweetest, sweetest soul.
Speaker:That's a great lesson, right? Great legacy, he to teach people, not to, judge a book by its cover.
Speaker 2:I had friends that were terrified and the minute they saw, and he was so good with little kids and older, he knew when my mom was getting older in her life that she walked differently. And he would walk with her pace. Like he knew, he knew one of my friends, um, was diagnosed with breast cancer. And she was telling us, and she was terrified of him. And he went and lied on the part of her body that was sick.
Speaker:Wow. And
Speaker 2:she just was diagnosed and he knew something was wrong. And she was like, she got a dog after that. She was like, there's something about the dogs and the humanity and she was so scared and he just knew she was scared of him and knew she was. So it was, that's the kind of dog he just, you know, I know all dogs are unique, but there was something. In my mind, Darwin just was incredible.
Speaker:Right. Yeah. He just, he just knew and being willing to share that, company and that healing, I believe so much in like the healing power of animals and the fact that he knew that your friend was sick is that's pretty incredible.
Speaker 2:Yeah. And the other thing I want to share is, so I went through a really hard divorce and just life changing events. And Darwin, I think for the last year of his life, wasn't feeling well. He wasn't in pain, but it started, you know, he started having a harder time getting upstairs. And just, it was more of an effort and he whined more and his personality just got older. And I'm convinced he made it one last year to help me get through to my divorce. He, he knew I couldn't handle him leaving at that moment.
Speaker:Right. Right. I know that. Yeah.
Speaker 2:He knew it. And he got me like through two weeks before my divorce and I'm like, he knew. And that's emotional.
Speaker:Couldn't have done it without him, you know? Right. Yeah. It's incredible. Having that friend by your side, right. And it's that unconditional love that. Only a dog can provide in that way, you know what I mean, of course there's like unconditional love and other, other relationships, but it's just, it's just different. Right. Cause there was no judgment. He was just there for you. There was no, there was, he was just
Speaker 2:there. No. And I was his whole world. You know, they always say, you know, we have many dogs in our lives, but I was it. You were his person. I was
Speaker:like, he picked you and he chose you. I love that. Uh, um, what would you say his greatest lesson was to you?
Speaker 2:Really, you can't judge a book by the cover. You know, a gentle giant. He was so careful, taking a snack out of your hand and just, he always wanted to share your pillow and just that love. Wow. I'm really crying. But he taught never give up. Even when he was sick and he had some weird health problems and he just, he was always happy. Just happy to see you, happy to be near you, would follow you no matter where. I mean everyone joked, it's like up! Where's Elaine? There's Darwin. It's like, right. I mean every one of everything, he just for 13 years was feet out around. You know? It's, it's just unconditional.
Speaker:When he passed, is there anything specific that you did, to memorialize him or, or how do you remember him today?
Speaker 2:So it's interesting. We ended up, my stepdaughter was in New York and we ended up having a beautiful ceremony to come to end his life. And we ended up putting him on his favorite dog bed, but eulogy. Each of us wrote something and read it to him while he was alive. Oh, that to me, having that, which each of us remember, like, and my kids were little and it's like them, their lives of their first dog,
Speaker:right?
Speaker 2:That was, and we had my daughter, FaceTime in, and just, we each read and we were laughing about all the funny stories. And so it was one of those moments, you know, it's the saddest of times, but you look and the kids and I were like, he deserved that. I went and got him, steak and, and we, made him his favorite meals and he just loved all that stuff leading up to it. And it's like, and then you realize, Oh, I shouldn't give it to him more in his life. You know, he deserves a lay every day. Right. But I have a little canister with his, ashes. And, um, You know, I have the paw prints. My daughter gave me a beautiful Etsy sketch of him. So this beautiful painting of him, and I've had friends give me like lockets and all these different things. So it's, everyone knew how much he meant and all of that is just, you know, it's healing as you can hear. I'll, I'll love him forever, but right. Of course you will. Of course you will.
Speaker:Lastly, do you have any advice for anyone else who may have just lost their soul dog or, or any yeah, just any kind of final, final thoughts.
Speaker 2:,I think. It's the hardest thing you'll go through. Truly. I, I say this with loving heart. My parents death was a little easier. Both of them, because he was with me all the time. As they get older, it's different. Um, but I really enjoyed going through all the photos., I look at his photos all the time, even sharing photos with you. It was like, Oh my God, it was such a one fast.
Speaker:Right.
Speaker 2:But I mean, so all those photos, it does get easier. I swear. I don't cry like this all the time. Um, but it's the, what a great love, you know, and just take a lot of photos when you have your dog and your loved ones.
Thank you so much for tuning in to hear about. Darwin and Elaine, what a beautiful life they shared together. A few lessons. That I took from this interview are, um, when, you know, you know, sometime. Sometimes the best decisions are the ones you. You just know in your heart and are meant. To be, and you just have to go for it. Um, don't judge a book by its. Cover and make sure to capture all those moments. Cause we just. I don't know when it'll be the last. You gotta subscribe if you want to be a part of our future. And watch the episodes of your choice! I've got them in the description. Read description for full info. And how to subscribe.
