We have an amazing rescue dog.  She is the only giant dog that is truly afraid of her own tail and hides from big dogs and loud noises.  She howls like a wolf at the doorbell, but then runs to door to greet the visitor with her tail wagging a full force.

You might be wondering, why does our dog matter when we are talking about our miscarriages?  At first glance this is a bit of an odd topic.  But she really is a critical element in a few ways.

First, she was one of the key steps in our family plan.  For us, the plan was something like this: finish university with a couple of degrees, get good jobs, get a starter home, get a puppy, upgrade to the family house, get the kids, live happily ever after.  She has been a critical stage in our plan, but at this time that I cannot help but think of the old quote:

the best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry

– by Robert Burns

Anyways, you can probably guess where our plan has gone awry since we’re still working on the get the kid part.  And we are learning to accept that it may or may not happen, which also means that our future may not be quite like we planned.

Second, she knows each time we are pregnant.  I have known we were pregnant 3 of the 4 times before I’ve peed on the stick based solely on her behaviour towards me.  As a very logical person who does not believe in astrology or any of those things, this does makes me feel slightly crazy – I seriously think my dog knows when we are pregnant?  However, I take a bit of comfort in the fact that if you do a quick google search, it turns out I’m not the only crazy one out there – it seems to be a rather well documented phenomenon.  Anyways, when she’s very excited she will jump and put a paw on your side or stomach.  She stopped doing this to me, 3 of the 4 times.  She also sticks to my side like my very own shadow, as if to protect me.  Everywhere I go, she is right there with me to the point of having to make her wait outside the bathroom door so that I can have a few moments to myself.  Interestingly, with the fourth pregnancy, she didn’t seem to even notice or care, her behaviour didn’t change like it did with the first 3.  Her reaction was so important to me that I was convinced something was wrong.  My husband was convinced I was crazy thinking our pregnancy outcome could be predicted by our dog, and even tried calming down by saying maybe this time is different and it means everything is okay.  I’m sure this comment was clearly a loving attempt to get me to relax and calm down.

Third, she may be covered in fur, but she is a child to us.  I grew up on a farm, where dogs did not live in the house and were not members of the family.  My husband grew up with a family dog, who just like our dog now lived inside and become a member of the family.  Our dog is in all aspects a member of our family and she is as spoiled as any first child.  Simply put, my life would not be complete without my furball and I am so incredibly thankful that she’s been by my side throughout this journey.