As someone who did not grow up around pets, the world of dog lovers has always been a mystery to me. Dogs were charming and adorable, sure, but it didn’t seem worth the trade-off. I already had a full life, living with roommates, working a lot at startups, and traveling as much as I could afford.

However, my curiosity has grown over the years. Last year when I moved in with Petr, the timing was right—not for getting a dog, but for trying out what it might be like. I had no idea what to expect when it came to dog ownership, and we thought fostering would be a good way to test drive it. So, we applied to be foster dog parents with Rescue City.

After a brief application process, they started emailing us regularly with dogs and dates. One day, Brett needed a home. We recognized him immediately because when we were browsing the gallery of all adoptable dogs from Rescue City’s website, we had been obsessed with his photo. He was a young Pomeranian, and his small size was ideal for our one-bedroom apartment. We responded to the email, “We’ll take him!”

We spent the next two days poring over the manuals they had sent us about how to manage a foster dog. My only real experience was walking my friends’ dogs a few times and petting random dogs on the street. Petr, who had grown up with a dog in the Czech Republic, was super confused by the concept of crating.

“Why would you lock them in a cage?” he asked repeatedly.

The day Brett was scheduled to arrive, it was chaos. The previous foster parent arrived at our apartment an hour early. I was already fully naked, literally about to step into the shower, when Petr called me from work to say that she was already outside. I got dressed, rushed downstairs, then opened the door to find her double-parked outside our building, jaywalking across the street with Brett on a leash in one hand and the crate in the other. I was worried for Brett’s life. She told me she had her two daughters in the backseat and she couldn’t stay long.

“I’ve never had a dog before,” I blurted out, seeking some reassurance.
“Oh, don’t worry. You’ll have a lot of fun with him,” she replied.

I couldn’t tell whether she was joking or warning me.

As Brett peed all over the foyer, I wondered if we were in over our heads. There were more supplies in her trunk, and I was unsure if it was a good idea to leave him alone in the apartment. “It’s totally fine,” she assured. I was skeptical but I didn’t feel like I had a choice so I left him there and quickly ran down to fetch the remaining supplies. Then, she drove away, leaving me in the dust. What the hell just happened?

I robotically walked back to the apartment. Brett was still there—phew! He was pacing all around the living room, nervous. I tried to recall what the manual had instructed about introducing the dog to the new home. Unfortunately, I seemed to have forgotten everything I had read to prepare for that very moment.

Then he came up to me and started barking in my face. I didn’t know what to do and just stared at him blankly. Finally my brain started working and I recalled a tip I read online. If you’re anxious, the dog will be able to sense it and feel anxious too. I took a deep breath to calm myself. It seemed to work; gradually, we both settled.

I pet him for the first time. “Wow, he’s so fluffy and soft!” I thought.

I also really looked at him for the first time. “He is SOOO CUTE!”

Then, I got him some water and started putting together his crate. Brett walked in through the open door and proceeded to poop inside. It smelled horrible.

Soon afterward, Petr came home, and we laughed in disbelief. Suddenly, we were caretakers of another being. We had no idea where this being came from or what had transpired in his life so far. We couldn’t really communicate with this being either, and we had signed a legal waiver making us fully responsible for this being. All I could think was … lol, what are we doing? We rolled up our sleeves and pushed through.

Petr cleaned the poop from the crate while I cleaned his pee from the foyer. We took him for a walk, fed him, and ordered Mexican food for ourselves. Brett barked at us while we ate. Later that evening in his bedtime crate, he continued to bark, but after some time, he quieted down. We did too. Eventually, we all went to sleep.

The next few days, the roller coaster of emotions continued. We took turns watching him between calls, but it was hard for me to focus on anything that wasn’t immediately urgent. One moment he was peacefully chewing on his tiger toy, but the second I looked away, he started chewing on random stuff we had laying around the apartment. RIP Petr’s AirPod case and my laptop charger.

There were moments of pure, uncontainable joy too. Petr and I cheered triumphantly the first time Brett managed to do his business outside rather than inside our apartment.

Introducing Brett to our friends was fun. Our friend Deep came over to train Brett, and Brett loved all the snacks and mental stimulation. Later that week, we made plans with our friend Sebastian and decided not to mention that we were fostering Brett. Their mutual delight when he arrived at our apartment and met Brett for the first time were unforgettable. Brett leaped into his arms and Sebastian’s eyes widened as he exclaimed, ‘He’s SOOO FLUFFY!’”

One of my fondest memories of this time was when Petr and Brett would pick me up after yoga class. The sight of them waiting for me, then Brett running towards me as if I were this grand prize he had just won, was incredibly heartwarming. I felt my heart would burst out of my chest.

Still, Brett peed everywhere in our apartment, and he was so thirsty for playtime. I would be petting him quietly on the couch, then suddenly, he would start trying to bite my finger and trying to get me to play with him. It would startle me how quickly he’d go from chill to PLAYTIME.

I texted my friends with dogs asking them if theirs was this “active”, and they all confirmed, “Yes, puppies are insane.” Despite how normal it might be, caring for Brett was exceptionally demanding but also deeply rewarding. Being with Brett made me feel a wide range of emotions. I felt anger, I felt happy, I felt proud.

I felt!

I spent a lot of time lounging around, petting Brett, or throwing his favorite tiger toy to him again and again and again. It was hard to focus on anything else. Yet, I often wondered, “Is there anything else I’d rather be doing?”

Is there anything at all that I wanted to be doing more so than this?

What is better than sharing life with the person you love and taking walks around the block together with an adorable, albeit mischievous, dog? It was hard for me to come up something much better than that.

Brett inspired me to be more present. To enjoy the moment that I’m in, even if I’m not doing anything very productive.

Some say that taking care of a puppy is akin to raising a newborn. Some say that because they are different species, it’s absolutely not, and you must be crazy for even thinking it’s similar. Regardless, I had never signed myself up for taking care of another’s life before. It seemed irresponsible when I was barely managing my own life. What did I have to offer? It turned out, more than I initially thought.

Our time with Brett was brief—just ten days—but it was packed with strong experiences and emotions. We realized that we couldn’t keep him longer without significant changes to our lifestyle. Despite the short tenure, I was heartbroken to say goodbye to him. I cried and felt that I really loved him. After we dropped him off, the apartment felt empty and quiet.

Thankfully, there’s a happy ending to this story. In the weeks that followed, I kept an eye on Rescue City’s social media updates. Not long after, they shared that Brett had been adopted by a loving forever home. I recognized his silly facial expression in the photo and laughed. I felt very happy for Brett and his new, slightly naive-looking parents. This time, I was the one thinking, “They’ll have a lot of fun with him.”

Reflecting on my time with Brett, I am profoundly grateful. He taught me so much about the joys of caring for others and the unexpected beauty found in life’s chaotic moments.

In the middle of those ten days, Petr and I reached a major milestone in our relationship. After luring Brett into his crate with some snacks, we sneaked out for some alone time. That evening, Petr proposed, and I said yes! The truth is there is no one I’d rather do life with.

As we plan our future together, this chapter with Brett has left a mark… and not just on Petr’s AirPods! It has helped me clarify what I value: family, stability, and having lots of time to play fetch with a dog. What once seemed like a huge mismatch with my lifestyle now feels like a goal for me.

Thank you, Brett, for opening my eyes to the joys of dog ownership and all the adventures that come with it!