You have arrived at one of the most important chapters of my life. I know it sounds exaggerated, but Whisky is and has been very important to me and I want to tell you why, dividing my story into different phases, in each of which there has been the evolution of our relationship.
The meeting
It was the year 2016, I was living in Verona in a not-so-big apartment with my then girlfriend. As you know, and if you don’t, I’ll tell you, living in an apartment and having a dog is not very simple, especially if only one of the two wants it… in this case me. I had been “punishing” my girlfriend for a while to go to the shelter and adopt a dog, telling her that it would be my commitment, that she wouldn’t have to worry about anything, that I would never ask her to take him out to do his business, etc., but unfortunately she, not having the passion I have always had, and being much more realistic than me about the fact that I couldn’t take care of it by myself, was very hesitant about it, but at the same time she realized that this was very important to me.
On the morning of November 17th of that year, she received a phone call from her brother, who informed her that for a few days, around the garbage cans near their mother’s house (where we were supposed to have lunch at noon), a lost dog was wandering around and it was impossible to approach; so joking, he made the joke: “Tell Luca! Maybe when he comes he can approach him and take him home…”. She, who already knew what the outcome of that communication would be (and for this I thank her again today), put her hand on her heart and repeated the message to me. Of course I was already agitated; and that day, despite always being late, we arrived at their mother’s house early.
He was still wandering around, scared and wouldn’t let himself be approached. Unfortunately lunch was on the table, so I had to temporarily give up. I ate at lightning speed and went out again trying to approach him.
At the time I knew nothing about dog behavior, I was only used to having them around, as my father always had them, but they were his dogs and I was only a member of the family. So I tried with some friendly approach, loudly read on Google but nothing, it seemed there was no way, so after an hour, a little discouraged, I sat on the sidewalk with my back to him. That was the move! After a few minutes I felt that he was getting closer and as soon as he got a few inches from me, I reached out my hand very slowly. He sniffed it a bit and then looked at me, as if to say, “If I approach, you won’t hurt me, right?” An exchange of glances, a small movement on my part and I was able to pet him! At that moment I felt that we had created a bond, he came towards me and lay down completely on my legs to take all the affection I was conserving for him.
The Adoption
Happy to have found a four-legged friend, I didn’t think about the fact that it could be a lost dog and someone was looking for it. As soon as I realized the concept, I immediately got a knot in my throat and my mind went into a vortex of sad thoughts. Obviously, I realized that if I felt that way for a few minutes with him, imagine the owner. So a little disheartened, I loaded my new friend into my car and together with my father took him to his trusted veterinarian. I was very torn between the sadness of losing my new friend and the serenity of giving it back to its owner, when the words came from the veterinarian’s mouth: “He doesn’t have a chip! So in fact, he’s a stray … or you adopt him or we have to take him to the pound!”
You can’t imagine how those words filled my heart with joy, which lasted a little while, because I would first have to ask my partner’s permission. While the phone was ringing, I was thinking of all the tear-jerking sentences I could have told her to convince her, I even hoped she wouldn’t answer, having the excuse and say “You didn’t answer! What could I do? I left him there?” And instead she answered … but the answer was actually a statement … “Thanks for calling but you’ve already decided!” In my opinion, there was the desire to make me happy in that “you’ve already decided!” despite the awareness that it would also be a commitment for her, and for this I am still grateful!
The name choice
Once we had the authorization, all that was left was to find a name. The eligible names were Charlie (from the protagonist of “Even dogs go to heaven”) or Whisky (the burly terrier from Lilly and the Tramp). As you can guess, the choice went to Whisky, also considering the color. As soon as the veterinarian finished filling out all the papers, doing the vaccinations, and applying the microchip, he said “Well now Whisky is your dog! Take care of him!” As I left the clinic I was flying, I was very happy, I was practically already in love with Whisky, and he understood this.
Life with Whisky
I have to say that I’ve been very lucky with Whisky, as he has never soiled in the house from the start, never ate anything other than his kibble, and quickly adapted to my athletic and work rhythms. Day after day, our bond has only grown stronger. We’ve run many kilometers together on the road and in the mountains, and he has accompanied me in all the preparations for my wildest endeavors. Today, I realize that we are truly a couple and wherever I go, if I can bring him along, he comes with me. He fills my life, and when he looks at me, I can immediately understand what he wants from his expression. We have a strong understanding, even if we argue like two lovers at times. He is very jealous, almost obsessive, but if he sees that I am happy, he backs off and stays aside. We care for each other and I have to say that without him, some moments would have been very difficult. We both know that we belong to different worlds and our roles are clear, but I have to say that the affection and respect that we both have for each other is indescribable. I truly wish you could experience it too.
The End
Unfortunately, on Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024, I had to free Whisky from the pain and suffering that an intestinal tumor was causing him. It was one of the hardest moments of my life. On one hand, I knew I was releasing him from a disease that would have consumed him, but on the other hand, I was saying goodbye to my faithful friend with whom I had shared 8 wonderful years of my life.
Despite the deep pain and the feeling, day after day, that something is missing in my life and can never be replaced, once I recover from this moment, I will do it all over again! Because the love that these little furry ones can give you is a love that no human can ever match.
With that said, what are you waiting for to adopt a puppy!!!