Megan Navarro
I never imagined myself having a dog.
Growing up, I was actually terrified of them. We never had a family dog or pet, really, so, when I would meet one, I was just scared when they would come and jump on me. I was young and small, so I always thought that they were going to attack me when they actually were just saying, ‘Hi!’
Fast forward to 2021, my husband, Adrian, joked with his grandparents when they asked him what they could get us for a wedding gift. He, of course, said that they could get us a puppy — well, the joke turned into a reality when they went to pick one up.
The cutest tri-color Beagle puppy went through a series of name prospects, but we landed on three possibilities — Charlie, Loki and Finn. In April of that year, it was the day of our couples wedding shower and when we were sitting in front of our family and friends, opening gifts, my mother-in-law was on Facetime with Adrian’s grandmother because they were up north picking up the newest addition.
We got out of our seats and when we looked at the puppy’s smushed face, we knew that he was Finn.
The puppy was living with his great-grandparents for a few months before we got married and, while there was a time when he wasn’t with us, we did not escape the stressful puppy stage. We heard the cries and whines, dealt with the teething, researched all of the at-home training tips, etc. — but we got through it, thankfully.
Having a dog in my 20s was something that I never really imagined for myself. I guess I kind of did like the idea of having the quintessential family with a dog or two, but that was more of a distant dream than something that I thought was actually going to happen.
My 4-year-old, four-legged boy is honestly one of the greatest gifts.
• He is always there: Even when you just get off the couch, you can hear the pitter-patter of his feet walking across the floor to check on what you are doing.
• He is the best snuggler: I may have accidentally shown Finn how comfortable blankets are because, now, he always has to be under one.
• He gets me moving: We do have a backyard that he can roam around, but he does keep me motivated to get up and take him on a walk.
• He’s the guardian of the house: He’ll watch over you when you’re getting ready for the day and he’ll let you know the minute someone comes home.
• He’s the winner of staring contests: He looks at you with his big brown eyes — for a long time — in a way that melts your heart.
• He loves everybody: If you show him love, Finn will give you the same courtesy.
They say get a dog in your 20s and that will be the best decision. I certainly agree. We don’t have kids yet, but we sure are glad to have our once smushed face and chubby baby bellied, now silly and naps-all-day boy to keep us on our toes.
Finn, we are so glad that you came into our lives when you did.
Navarro is the executive editor for the Hays Free Press/News-Dispatch. She can be reached by emailing [email protected].
