Denali

Denali. The type of dog everyone dreams of having.

We weren’t planning on getting a dog that day. We were running errands, just going about life as usual. There was nothing special or different about this day. I’m not entirely sure where we were heading, probably to the grocery store or maybe it was the post office. But I do know we never made it to our original destination that day.

It was early fall, we were driving down a road we take nearly every day seeing the same buildings lining the road as usual. But unlike all the other days that we have driven this road, a small dog pen lingered in front of one of the stores, containing a handful of puppies that were occupying its space. Perking up, I turned to my significant other Jake, ready to make my request. Before I could even ask, he looked at me and, with zero hesitation, said, “No.”

I looked at him innocently. “I just want to look, I swear.”

Famous last words.

Shaking his head in silent judgment and sighing, he pulled the car over, and we stepped out “just to peek.” There were three puppies left, wiggling around in the pen. A woman walked over, explaining the breed that they were: German Shepherd/Husky mix. She gestured to them, Fifty bucks and one of them is yours.

A clearance puppy?!

I bit my lip and glanced at Jake. He was already shaking his head. Absolutely not. And so, we started walking away.

Grasping at straws, I blurted out, “I’ll let you pick the puppy.”

Jake paused. Sensing I may have a shot here, I doubled down. “You can pick the puppy. You can name it. I’ll take care of it. I will pay for everything. You won’t have to do a thing.”

Sending another exasperated sigh my way, he shook his head and turned back toward the puppies, my heart swelled. Got him.

He crouched down, studying them each carefully, picking up one after the other, examining each of them with patience and care. I could tell he was taking this very seriously.

We stood there for quite some time when I noticed his attention hovering around one of the puppies I wasn’t considering. So I dutifully pointed out the all-gray one, letting him know that was the one I liked. He ignored me.

When he picked up the same puppy for the third time, I sensed where his decision was headed. He must not of heard me about the gray one, so I tried again, “This gray one is really cute,” I gushed. “I really like this one…” I picked it up so there was no confusion on which one I was talking about.

Jake looked at me deadpan. “I’m picking.”

Putting my hands up, I conceded and stepped back.

I watched the one he seemed to be drawn to. It wasn’t bouncing around like the others, laying down quietly she watched everything closely. She had a quietness to her, like she seemed to be trying to keep out of the way, to not disturb the other puppies from finding their homes. However, each time Jake picked her up she cuddled in close. She was calm, curious—magnetic in her own quiet way. Her eyes were soft, trusting, and just a little bit wise. And even though she wasn’t the one I had wanted at first, I knew he was picking a good one.

Jake scooped her up, and I didn’t wait for him to change his mind—I handed the woman the money. As we walked back to the car, Jake was smiling to himself holding the puppy close. He gingerly placed her in the backseat. With a new destination in mind, we made our way to the Pet Store.

Walking through the isles I grabbed things we needed, putting them in the cart - meanwhile Jake was putting things in the cart that wasn’t needed. After the tenth toy he put in the cart, I worried about the cost of all this after vowing to pay for everything. Voicing my concerns to Jake, he shook his head, “it’s fine, I’ll pay for it.” Shrugging, I began putting things we didn’t need in the cart as well.

After what felt like hours we came home with what felt like half the store. We set up all of her new things, and gathered around to watch in awe everything she did.

Denali became the center of our family, each of us excitedly waiting our turn to pick her up, or hold her leash while out on a walk.

From day one, she was different from any other dog. I can see why Jake chose her. She is sweet beyond measure, with a gentle soul that makes everyone around her feel calm. She never demands attention, but she is always there—a soft nudge when you needed comfort, a warm nuzzle when words aren’t enough.

She sits patiently while chaos unfolds around her. She lays at your feet on hard days. Greeting you with quiet excitement, like she’s been waiting for you forever, even if you are just stepping out to get the mail.

Denali has been there for the big moments and the small ones. She was the first to teach us what it truly means to love a dog—not just the love that fills your heart when they tilt their head in that perfect way, but the deep, grounding love that reshapes your idea of family.

Now, even as other dogs have joined the pack and life has grown louder and messier, Denali remains the steady heartbeat of it all. She’s the one we all look to. The one who made us dog people. The one who started it all. The one giving you hugs when they are most needed

We never made it to wherever we were originally going that day. But I’m so glad we stopped “just to look.” Because I can’t imagine life without Denali.