Hello, my name is Luka! I am a nine-month old Shitzu, who has been living with my human mom, Delphy, in the Bronx, NY since she brought me home six months ago. It’s just me and mom in the house, but we go to visit her boyfriend and his two older dogs a lot. Although I try so hard to get those dogs to keep up with me, they usually just lay there and get annoyed with my puppy energy. At least mom still loves me! In fact, it’s a pretty interesting story of how Delphy and I found each other.
Mom battles depression and anxiety, and one day she was having a really hard time. She was crying all day and praying for something happy to happen to her. At first, she went to check out a different dog at another pet store, but the dog looked really sick and unhealthy. Mom left feeling defeated and lost. Then, she opened up her Instagram and that’s when she saw ME! The moment she saw my post from Central Park Puppies, she knew I was the answer she had been praying so hard for. She didn’t care about the price or any of the details. She just knew I was meant to be her new puppy. When I first arrived at my new fur-ever home, I had so much fun exploring and running around the place during the day, but at night I was having some pretty bad nightmares. I also followed mom around everywhere and would cry when she left me – even if she was just in the shower for a few minutes. I didn’t like or trust anyone else at first either – only mom. Now, I’m a lot better with her parents though, after I got to know them a little more. Mom describes me as playful, energetic, and very loving … she also says I’m picky, annoying, and says I’m a biter, but I like the first three words she used to describe me the best. One of mom’s favorite things about me is how I instinctively respond to her on her bad days, when her anxiety is really high.
When mom cries, I run over and give her kisses on her hands and face, and I lay down with her until she feels better. She calls me her angel because of how I make her feel better! Some of the things I like to do for fun are playing, going on walks where I stop and smell everything along the way, and I have a tendency to bite when I’m bored or if I don’t know someone. I also like when mom plays fetch with me with my favorite red ball, and I like watching TV with her and even by myself. When my mom has things to do around the house, like homework, she’ll put on the TV for me, and I’ll just sit on her bed and watch my shows until she’s free to play with me again. Oh, and I also have serious FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), so I listen in on human conversations all the time and try to help with the chores around the house – anything to be a part of the action. For example, if Delphy and her mom are talking in the kitchen, I’ll stop whatever I’m doing and go over to listen in to what they’re talking about. And if Delphy is cleaning the house, I help her out by grabbing the spray bottles and rags and running under the bed with them! Mom and I both know that underneath the bed is also where I go when I know I’m in trouble, too. Some of the things I’m most afraid of are people I don’t know, other dogs who get too excited around me, and the scariest of all – the sound of paper bags! Those scary things aside, I have to admit that I’m a pretty spoiled pup, living here in the Bronx with mom! I pretty much get my way and almost anything I want. Speaking of which, one of my favorite TV shows is coming on, so I have to run. But thanks for listening to my story!
AUTHOR
Ash Perera
For Ash, it has always been about helping people. After earning her masters degree, she worked as a special education teacher in NYC public schools for five years prior to diving in to Central Park Puppies full-time. For more than 8 years now, Ash has been helping families find the perfect puppy for their homes. She serves as a co-founder and chief marketing officer of the online platform Central Park Puppies, a company committed to ethical breeding and a genuine love for all things canine. When she's not busy helping families connect with their dream pups, she is often embarking on adventures with her two daughters, husband, her beloved chihuahua and spunky schnauzer.
