The Dog I Never Planned to Keep

When we lost Maci to cancer months ago, my heart was still struggling to heal.

Anyone who has loved a dog deeply knows that kind of loss changes the rhythm of your whole home. Friends and family gently suggested fostering, but I wasn’t ready to seriously consider it.

Then, in May, I was scrolling through Instagram and saw a post from Cincinnati Lab Rescue (CLR) about a little white puppy named Snow. She reminded me so much of Maci that something just clicked, and before I could overthink it, I applied to foster.

Snow was quickly adopted, but I was approved and offered another puppy instead - a male stray, approximately 6–8 months old.

I had always imagined our next dog would be a young female Labrador puppy from a breeder. This foster situation was only supposed to be temporary, and I certainly didn’t expect to fall in love with a mystery dog I had agreed to help prepare for his future family.

Gideon’s introduction to my dachshunds, Miles and Murphy, was more challenging than I anticipated. At first, I wasn't sure these dogs would ever find common ground. But with some gentle guidance from CLR and a few adjustments on my part, things quickly turned around.

Within days, the dogs had gone from strangers to companions, peacefully coexisting and even playing and training together. It was a remarkable turnaround and a huge relief.

After a week, Gideon had settled into our routine, and I felt at peace knowing he would likely be heading to his forever home that weekend. I was grateful for the time we’d had with him and excited for the family that would eventually call him their own.

Then the rescue called.

They hadn’t found the right adopter and asked if I could keep him one more week.

And suddenly, I couldn’t imagine letting him go.

People often call this a “foster fail,” but I’ve never liked that term. There was no failure here...only clarity. Gideon had found his forever home; he was already a part of our family.

Just a few weeks later, I can’t imagine our life without him. He’s playful yet respectful with his dachshund brothers, loves people and dogs of all ages, and never turns down a walk, car ride, training session, or pup cup. From day one, he has been reliably potty trained, making his transition into our home remarkably smooth.

As we got to know him better, we couldn't help but wonder about his background. According to his Embark DNA test, Gideon is a perfect 50/50 blend of Labrador Retriever and Golden Retriever, with purebred Labs and Goldens appearing throughout his family tree all the way back to his great-grandparents.

Gideon hasn’t replaced Maci—no dog ever will. He simply found his way into my life when my heart was ready to heal, in a way I never could have imagined. And if somehow Maci had a hand in bringing him to me, then thank you, sweet girl. You couldn't have chosen a better dog.