An American Bulldog came into my life during one of the most difficult times I have ever faced. On Friday, June 13, 2014, my wife and I met a puppy we were not supposed to get.

When we arrived at the breeder’s house, the wife of the man I’d spoken with on Craigslist greeted us with the puppy I had selected from the ad. But something felt off. My heart wasn’t beating like it’s supposed to. I looked around not knowing what to do and asked to see the other puppies.

She walked us over to the gate where the littermates were playing, their tiny barks and wagging tails filing the afternoon air. And there he was, right there at the back of the pack, the shy one that caught my eye. I reached for him with all my might and she asked, “Are you sure? This one here is already bathed.”

I didn’t care if this new heartthrob of mine was bathed or not, he was coming home with me! As we pulled away, I kept looking down at him thinking about all the memories we were about to make together.

He peed on me on the drive home. I guess he had already decided that I was his person too.

A few months later, we lost our apartment and bounced between hotels and pet-friendly family homes while figuring out our next steps. Finding pet-friendly hotels was easy, but finding family to take us in was a tougher challenge. Even then, giving him up was never an option.

For eight years, we moved from place to place, short stays, long stays, but Austin adapted to every change. New homes, new surroundings, stairs or no stairs, it didn’t matter. Through every move, every long day, he brought comfort and consistency with his routines. He always knew when I needed him the most.

Eventually, we found a home where he could truly settle, a place to spend his golden years. No more packing up, no more temporary spaces, just the comfort of our familiar rooms,  the same yard, and the same doors he greeted me with every day.  For the first time in a long while, life slowed down and the familiar routines that had followed us from place to place finally had a permanent backdrop.

Austin crossed the rainbow bridge on Friday, January 9, 2026, just two months shy of his 12th birthday. The house has felt a little quieter ever since, the kind of quiet that settles into every room and presses heavily against your chest. In those moments, I have to remind myself to breathe.

He was more than just a dog to me, he was my shadow through every stage of life and now  I’m learning how to grow without him, carrying the love and lessons he left behind.