Last week, I wrote an article with just some of the reasons Rottweiler’s are amazing dogs. I stand behind that article 110%, but that does not mean they are the only amazing dogs we may fall in love with. This is the story about the dog who entered my life right when I needed him, and he was not a Rottweiler.

When I was 9 years old, my first dog, a Rottweiler named Rocky, passed away. I was absolutely devastated, and because of the way in which I heal I wanted to fill the void with another dog immediately. About a month after Rocky had passed, I had finally worn my parents down enough to get another furry friend, although they themselves were nowhere near ready.

So the time had come, and one day after school my mama brought me to this house in a neighborhood I had never been in before. I thought it was one of her work friends or something so I just ran off with the kids playing. A little while after arriving, my mama called me into a room where she had been talking with the mother of this family. They had two German Shepherds; one male and one female. The male was a beautiful, big boy, but his energy level made him a little hard to handle in the suburbs without a large yard to run and play in, so my mother asked me if I wanted to take him home with us. Of course, being the animal lover I am, I jumped at the opportunity!

My new dog was named Hogan and he was 4 years old when he came home with me. He had the biggest smile, the warmest eyes, the best personality, and so much energy! Hogan instantly became my best friend. We played ball every evening when I got home; he would chase my ATV; he loved car rides; and he enjoyed going for walks up at Skyline Drive. I want to be clear here, Hogan could never replace Rocky for they were each perfect in their own way, but Hogan did manage to fill the void I was feeling when I had lost my first best friend.

As time went by, Hogan and I grew closer and closer. He began to sleep either right next to my bed or at the door to my bedroom and that’s where he would sleep every night for the next 9.5 years. During his last six months with me, he was no longer able to make it up the stairs to my room, so he opted to sleep at the bottom of the stairs and would wait there for me every morning. Besides being my best friend, he was my four legged furry guardian angel; whenever someone he didn’t know got what he would deem as “too close,” Hogan would circle me like a shark until they either left, or he began to realize they were ok.

All of these little quirks Hogan had made him a great best friend, but what made him probably the dog of my life, was the fact that he was there for me during the hardest time of my families’ life thus far. When I was in the eighth grade, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and Hogan was there for us in a way that people just couldn’t be. All he had to do was lay on the couch with us and let us cry on his shoulders. His super doggy power was just bringing a sense of peace to the family.

He was also there for my mother in an extraordinary way; it's like he just knew she wasn’t doing well. When my dad was at work and I was at school, on the days when my mama was just too sick to go to work herself, Hogan would just lay with her all day watching movies and smothering her with kisses. He wouldn’t beg to go outside and play ball or go for a walk. He would just lay there all day right next to her.

It's been three years since Hogan has passed away and he left one hell of a mark on my heart. He may not have been the dog I originally would have picked out for myself since I thought Rottweiler’s were the only dogs for me at the time, but he was definitely the dog I needed.

I hope each and every one of you readers at some point in time, get to meet the dogs of your lives and I hope you get to spend an amazing 10 plus years with them, just like I had with Hogan.

Rest in peace, baby boy