Knox had a rough start to his life. He was found living as a stray in Tennessee before he was brought up to the Humane Society of West Michigan to be adopted. He had arrived with heartworms which required treatment and medication. When I first laid eyes on him it was love at first sight. I just knew he was meant to be in our family. My boyfriend, on the other hand, saw something different. Knox was just staring at the wall with little emotion. When we got to meet him in a private room he curled up on the floor in between us and fell asleep like he knew he was safe already. The shelter volunteer informed us that Knox had already been brought back by two families and his time at the shelter was running out. So we did what any dog lovers would do and brought him home that day.

I would like to say that this is where everything is perfect but I’m afraid it’s not. Knox’s first round of heartworm treatment did not take and he was still heartworm positive a year after we adopted him. They decided to take an x-ray before starting the next round of treatment to determine if his heart was healthy enough to handle it. His heart passed that test but they discovered that Knox had about 12 BB gun pellets lodged in his abdomen. As a dog mom, this news was devastating. I never want to think about animals being abused like that, let alone my own. Thankfully, the BB gun pellets do not harm him and the second heartworm treatment took so Knox is able to live life as a normal dog now.

But Knox is far from normal. I was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome before we adopted him. This causes me to have dizzy spells and faint on a daily basis. Knox comes to my side when I faint, giving me puppy kisses and pawing at me to try and get me to wake up. As you may be able to imagine, fainting every day can be exhausting and stressful but Knox has given me a reason to smile and be thankful for the life that I have.

I have been unable to work a “normal” job and was tired of spending my time laying around feeling sorry for myself, so I took inspiration from the one I love the most, Knox. I started designing dog bowls, toy boxes, and painting dog signs. With the help of my family, I have created Homeward Hound, my very own doggy décor business that I take to dog shows and craft events. It has been an amazing opportunity that has allowed me to feel like myself again. With Knox by my side, nothing is going to hold me back. Not even an illness. Knox is not just a dog, he is my best friend.