A decorative square border made of green plant vines with small orange and purple flowers

Django, My Teacher

A dog walking on a dirt path through a golden field with a partly cloudy sky overhead and trees in the distance.
A dog lying on a textured brown carpet, partially inside a black wire enclosure, with a blanket and some pillows nearby.

Django joined me at a very difficult time in my life — I had lost my father a year prior and was at rock bottom, struggling deeply with my mental health. What a perfect time to get a dog, right? And a Belgian Malinois, no less. I had no idea the level of healing and growth that awaited me when I brought Django into our home.

The first few years of our relationship were defined by what I can only describe as struggle. Django had his own emotional trauma to work through — scars that showed up as reactivity and a difficult bite history. I’m not ashamed to say I shed many tears over this dog in frustration, worry, and hopelessness.

Of the many small steps that began to turn things around for us, the most significant was incorporating spirituality into my daily life. With time and consistency, I began to notice a shift in Django as well. The more patience and love I showed myself, the more I was able to give to him — and the more his issues seemed to soften and melt away. Django is, and always has been, a perfect mirror: showing me the parts of myself that needed care. Recognizing this pattern allowed us to grow and heal together.

Decorative floral border with orange and purple flowers and green vines.
Close-up of a dog’s face resting on a white pillow, with a bed that has striped bedding in the background.
A person with tattoos and long hair is hugging a dog in a scenic mountain landscape with rocky peaks, a river, and green vegetation.

Over the years, I’ve learned to listen closely to what Django is trying to tell me. Each time I do, the breakthroughs I experience ripple through my life — impacting not just me, but him and our entire family. By leaning into the difficult emotions and challenges he helped illuminate, rather than avoiding or reacting to them, my life has transformed in ways I never thought possible — especially in my career.

My relationship with Django reconnected me with the part of myself that always knew I would one day work to help animals and their people. It led me into roles in boarding and rescue, veterinary care, dog training, and eventually to where I am today.

It’s hard to imagine what my life would look like without the lessons Django has patiently and diligently taught me. What I do know is this: he came into my life to help me reconnect with my purpose and my being. He is my soul dog, and I hope to use what he’s taught me to make his life — and the lives of others — as bright as he has made mine.