She Said Yes to a Dog She Didn’t Want—Here’s What Happened
A short story about grief, a rescue dog named Gus Gus, and how healing sometimes starts with a food bowl.
☕ A Different Kind of Healing Story
Today we’re starting something new.
For the next 5 weeks, I’m stepping away from our usual focus on feline wellness to share a special series I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. It’s called They Saved Me First. And it’s all about the animals who show up when life falls apart.
Not in grand, dramatic ways—but in quiet ones. A tail wag when you’ve been crying. A soft purr when you feel alone. A reason—any reason—to get off the couch when nothing else seems to matter.
These are stories from real people who’ve been through something hard—and the pets who helped them make it through. And they’re not just about cats. They’re about dogs, rabbits, maybe even a turtle one day. Because this isn’t really about the type of animal—it’s about the connection.
I want to introduce you to Suzanne.
She and her daughter were deep in grief when Gus Gus entered their lives. This 7-minute clip captures the beginning of that story—and how everything slowly began to shift.
🐶 Meet Gus Gus
In the spring of 2021, Suzanne and her daughter were deep in grief.
Her son Ben had died the previous September at age 22. And Suzanne wasn’t looking to add anything new to her life—especially not a pet.
“I was quite enjoying the freedom of not having one,” she told me.
But her daughter had a different idea.
She said, “Mom, I think we need a dog.”
And because that’s what you do as a parent—especially when both of you are trying to find a way through something unthinkable—Suzanne said yes.
🐾 What Healing Actually Looked Like
When they first met Gus Gus, he seemed like a dream dog. Quiet. Calm. Sweet. But as it turns out, he was actually sick at the time.
Once he got healthy, the real Gus Gus emerged—full of terrier energy, barking at everything that moved, yanking at the leash, turning heads in all the wrong ways.
“He was that dog that people stare at,” Suzanne said. “You’re like, what is wrong with that dog’s owner?”
But that chaos? That unpredictability?
It gave them something to focus on.
Training Gus Gus, understanding his behavior, walking him through his own trauma—it pulled Suzanne and her daughter back into motion. It gave them something to care for. Something that needed them. And something they could grow alongside.
“He became that reason we had to get off the couch,” she said. “To take care of something that wasn’t just us.”
💛 A Mirror for Self-Care
Suzanne told me a story about how she’d pour Gus Gus his food and suddenly think, Did I eat today? Or how she’d fill his water and realize she hadn’t touched her own water bottle all morning.
That simple act—caring for a pet—reminded her what she needed to do for herself.
“When you're struggling with the most basic self-care,” she said,
“doing it for someone else is a great reminder: I need that too.”
🧘♀️ The Present Is Where the Magic Is
One of my favorite moments from this conversation was when Suzanne talked about how dogs—unlike most humans—don’t pull you into the past or future.
“They’re so in the present,” she said, “that you can’t help but be more in the present when you’re with them.”
And when you’re grieving, being present is hard. The past hurts. The future feels uncertain. But a pet just wants to play. Or curl up beside you. Or make you laugh at something ridiculous.
Gus Gus reminded them—without words—that love, joy, and connection were still possible.
And that maybe they hadn’t gone away forever.
🌿 Lessons With Fur On Them
🧭 1. Let your pet lead you back to presence.
Lesson: Pets live in the moment. When life feels overwhelming—whether you're grieving or just scattered—they can anchor you back to now.
Action Step: The next time your pet wants to play, purr on your chest, or just curl up beside you—pause and join them. Let them set the pace for 5 minutes. No phone. No distractions. Just presence.
🥣 2. Use your pet’s care as a self-care reminder.
Lesson: Feeding, watering, and walking your pet can mirror your own needs. If you’re not taking care of yourself, start by noticing how you care for them.
Action Step: Every time you feed your cat or fill their water, ask yourself:
Did I eat today? Have I had water? Have I moved my body?
Let your care for them become a prompt for caring for you.
🧠 3. You don’t need to feel ready to make a good decision.
Lesson: Suzanne didn’t want a dog—but her daughter’s intuition was right. Sometimes healing begins when we say yes to something we’re not fully ready for.
Action Step: Is there something you’ve been resisting that could actually help you feel more connected, supported, or alive? Try saying yes, even if it’s a small step.
🤝 4. Support doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be present.
Lesson: Gus Gus wasn’t easy. He barked, pulled, and needed training. But he showed up. That was the point.
Action Step: Don’t wait to be perfect to show up for someone else—or yourself. You don’t need the right words. Just presence. Just consistency. Just being there counts.
🐾 Something to Think About
Maybe you’re not in a season of grief. But we all go through moments when life feels heavy—when joy feels far away, or our own needs fall to the bottom of the list.
So this week, I’m thinking about this question:
What is your pet quietly asking you to notice today?
Are they nudging you to slow down? To get outside? To play? To rest?
Sometimes healing doesn’t start with a big breakthrough.
Sometimes it starts with a food bowl, a water dish, or a warm body on the couch who just wants to sit beside you.
🎧 Want to Hear the Full Interview with Suzanne?
👉 Click here to listen to the full episode now or search Golden Whiskers wherever you get your podcasts.
Thanks for being here,
Scott 🐾
Founder, Golden Whiskers