Happy Birthday Rebel Dog: Reflecting on Two Years with my Wolf Pup

Sometimes the hustle and bustle of life is a bit too much and you forget the important things. Guys, I forgot Rebel’s second birthday a week ago, partially due to the fact that I generally don’t know what the date is. Living on my own schedule and not having to work a conventional job makes it so the days kind of blur together. I often think it’s wednesday when it’s actually saturday. Such is life.

So two years ago, on the second of July, Rebel and 8 other puppies were born from a husky wolf mix who’s name sadly escapes me now. The father was a pitbull by the name of Midnight so it made for an interesting batch of puppies. Some looked like baby wolves, some like huskies and then there’s Rebel the short haired one.

We arrived in Oregon two years ago at the end of September and when we arrived on the property we would then be stranded at for several months, I feasted my eyes on an adorable puppy. Turns out there were more for sale.

Now it seems a bit irrational and irresponsible to get a puppy while on the run and perhaps it is, but bear in mind up until the day we left Detroit we fully intended on having a big black pit bull with a mangled leg by the name of Renegade. The idea was to have him as a companion because we loved him, but he was going to also protect us and our things for us too, this is why many travelers travel with dogs. So carting a puppy around honestly seemed easier and in many ways I think it was.

Within a few weeks talks were in place to secure me one of these puppies. In an attempt to get more money out of us, she pushed me towards the more wolf like siblings but knowing I was headed to Mexico, I wanted the short haired male. And besides, he kind of looked like a Renegade with different ears in his puppy pictures, so I was sold.

He was delivered and after arguing over prices, we paid for him. We made it clear we weren’t going to pay more than we agreed and they made it clear they weren’t taking him back, so they got what they got. Naming him was easy, I was torn between Rebel and Renegade, so I tried them out on him. When he popped an ear down and tilted his head at Rebel, that was it.

Now I’ve been posting about my fur baby since I joined Steemit, first sharing in more detail how we got him. Truth be told he came to us with parvo and that’s probably why they didn’t want to take him back. Long story short, we saved his life with dabs and he’s been our dabber dog since.

He’s honestly played a big role in our ventures, namely keeping me sane in our adventure to the border. As we crossed the border, he sat with his head in my lap so I could pet him, cause he could tell I was freaking out. To this day, he sees me upset and he comes up with that wrinkle in his forehead and a lick to the face or hand, whichever is closer.

I’ve faced a lot of criticism for how I’ve chosen to raise him. From making his food at home to refusing to vaccinate an already sick puppy, his life has been controversial. At this point as I look over at him napping I know I must be doing something right, as he’s now full sized and filling out instead of looking so skinny. With how many times he’s nearly died and been saved by us, he rests assured knowing we can help him. He’s got someone that loves him enough to pick the ticks out of his ears, even if it pinches him he’s always let me do it, smelling the tick after with a look of understanding.

Owning dogs and raising Rebel has been an interesting journey that has taught me a lot about dogs. Emotionally speaking, they’re pretty similar to us and I think that’s why we’ve always cohabited with dogs as a species. They make sense just enough to be allowed into our homes and into our hearts. Raising dogs is not unlike raising children I’ve found and in many ways, dogs have taught me I’m not quite ready for children. So for that alone, I’m thankful for my dogs. They remind me I’ve still got work to do. But they also remind me of how far I’ve come, and them in tow.

So happy birthday Rebel dog and may you have many more. In the beginning of November, we’ll share two years together. I have no idea how long he’ll live but I sure hope it’ll be many years, or at least long enough to meet my kids.

For anyone interested, here’s a link list to everything I’ve shared about my boy.

Rebel Dog in a Box Photo Shoot
Rebel Meets Jungle Crab A Photo Story
Rebel Dog Carrot Treat
Rebel Mountain Boulder Dog 2
Rebel Mountain Boulder Dog 1
Wolfie Pup Photo Shoot with New Nikon D5500
Sun Dogs of Acapulco: Rebel and Tequila Catching Filtered Rays
Attack of the Spiders or scorpians Rebels Allergic reaction
Rebel Dog Adventures Part 1 Go Dog Crazy Then Initiate Cooldown
Coconut Natures Awesome Dog treat
Rebel Dog Our Dabber Dog
Daily Photo Adventures Tequila Rebel Clouds and Ships
Giant Moth and Rebel Dog
Tripping on Topes to Oaxaca: Dog Adventures Beaches and new puppy friends
Tripping on Topes to Oaxaca: Adventuresome Rebel and Relaxation
Happy Birthday Rebel Dog
The Garden Dog Mans Best Friend in a Permaculture System
Animal Adventures: Chickens, Ducks and Wolfdogs

Check out some of my other recent posts

Acapulco Sunsets: Crazy Weather Colors 1
Fermentation Adventures: Overdoing the Sauerkraut and Detox Symptoms
Acapulco Sunsets: Crazy Sunsets Bring Huge Earthquakes