Dylan’s Story, by Kathie Lee

My husband and I had been wanting a dog for a very long time. We’d been living in New York and overseas, both with very intense work schedules, so we decided to resist the urge until we had a stable roof over our heads. When we moved to California in 2014, we realized the time was right ─ local rescues here we come.

A Dog Named Bob

Truthfully, I could have brought home just about any dog, but my husband Jai likes to take his time making important decisions, so for the next three months, we spent our weekends visiting every shelter and going to every pet adoption event up and down the Peninsula. We met dogs, we petted dogs, we walked dogs ─ always trying to find that perfect little soul to bring home with us.

Then one weekend we visited Pets in Need in Redwood City and met a dog named Bob. We took him for a walk and could see immediately that he was very sweet and well-trained. He pooped as soon as he got outside and then jumped right into my lap. I started to pet him, touching his paws, ears and tail, and nothing seemed to faze him. He was soft and loving and hard to resist. But while I was with Bob, my husband was walking a very rambunctious larger dog that he seemed to like, so in the end, we decided to go home and think about it a bit more. Our search went on for 2-3 more weeks, but we kept thinking about Bob. Something was telling me that he was our dog.

On Dec 1, my husband decided to surprise me by going back to Pets in Need and adopting him. He’d called ahead and arrived just about closing time, but when he asked about Bob, the person said they thought he had been adopted. Then, very fortunately, someone else asked if they could help him as he was heading out the door and when he shared his story, they said, “I think you’re in luck, Bob was just returned.” As paperwork was being filled out, Bob’s tail wouldn’t stop wagging and he waited patiently for what was coming next. It was clear that this dog had been loved and well cared for by his former owner. And his records showed that he had not been returned because of anything he did, but only because his new adopter had been grieving the loss of her former dog and decided it was too soon for her to adopt again.

Settling In

Jai couldn’t wait for me to get home from work so he could show me “his surprise.” But just as I pulled up to our complex, I got another work call that lasted 45 minutes. When I finally made it upstairs and opened our front door, I was greeted by the sweetest little dog with the biggest brown eyes staring lovingly up at me. It was Bob!

Once I got over the shock, my maternal instincts kicked in and I drove to Home Goods to buy all the supplies he would need in his new home (his doggy bowl, his new bed, his collar and leash, a little sweater). I wanted to welcome him in the right way, and to this day, he uses that same doggy bed, even though we’ve offered him others over the years. It clearly has sentimental value, and he considers it “his happy place.”

 Changing Coasts and Changing Names

Almost immediately, Bob became the most perfect dog. He was happy and affectionate, great with kids and other dogs, easy to walk, very laid back and chill, and nothing ever rattled him. He was also great on a plane and easily trained when there were new things to learn. But there was one thing we noticed as he settled in with us ─ he didn’t seem to be responding to the name Bob.

My husband was listening to Bob Dylan at the time so we decided to start calling him Dylan, and he accepted his new name right away. Just how smart was this little dog? Did he realize a new name meant a fresh start? Did he recognize it from some past life? I guess we’ll never know, but he took to it immediately and Dylan has been his name ever since.

  

Dylan Becomes My Therapy Dog

In 2017, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was young and healthy with no family history, so this was quite a shock. Throughout the entire process of surgeries and treatment, Dylan was by my side. He became my personal therapy dog, always looking out for me, and he seemed to know just what I needed at any given time. When we first got him, he would always sit a little removed from us, but even today, if I’m not feeling well, he puts his body right next to me to comfort me in his own special way. Even though we didn’t know his back story, he seems to always know how to be the most loving, intuitive, and comforting dog.

 Dylan Becomes My Business Partner

When I left the corporate world, Jai and I moved back to Brooklyn to start the next chapter of our lives. We’d often talked about owning a small restaurant and when one became available in our neighborhood, we decided to take the plunge. It was great fun for a while until we realized that we were great life partners but unfortunately horrible business partners.

A bar and flower shop down the street became available, so I decided to run that business while my husband ran the restaurant. Dylan came to work with me and before we knew it, he was attracting many dog lovers to our shop. As one thing led to another, we started reaching out to local rescues, bringing dogs in for meet and greets, and holding various pet adoption events. We’ve been able to facilitate many fosters and adoptions, and we’ve raised lots of money for local animal rescues and nonprofits. As a small business owner, I consider it both a joy and a privilege to be able to do these kinds of positive, love affirming things within our community.

Enjoying His Golden Years

Dylan fits our family perfectly, and we’re so lucky to have him. He’s been such a blessing for 12 years, enriching our lives in so many ways. Parents are always bragging about their kids, and I love having the opportunity to talk about our very sweet and special boy.

It’s truly a joyful experience to get to share his story.