Three years after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, when most of the world had moved on, there were countless dogs left behind. Abandoned, lost, separated from their owners amongst the wreckage and horror of that day. One of these dogs, a young yellow Labrador Retriever, had been found roaming the streets and was placed into a high-kill shelter. His assigned name was Mike #4. He was scheduled to be euthanized due to the overwhelming number of unclaimed dogs in the shelter. In 2008, a rescue organization called Labs4rescue stepped in and saved him just in time, leading him to my family and me.
My childhood dog, a girl’s best friend. The day we picked up Mike #4 was a warm September afternoon. I was four years old, and so was he. My family and I were so excited to meet him and take him home with us, and it felt like a dream. I remember being in our TV room with him like it was yesterday, sitting on the floor giving him all the love in the world. I have my dad to thank for remembering this moment so vividly: he took out his camera and photographed it all, freezing these perfect moments in time that I cherish so very much. He was the happiest pup I had ever seen. You could see it in his eyes that he knew he was safe now. After hours of giggles and tossing around names, my family and I finally decided on the perfect forever name for our sweet boy – Bodie.
The movie Marley & Me was released in 2008, just a few months after Bodie became part of our family. A movie about a dog and his family’s adventures through love, chaos, and growing together – the timing felt serendipitous as we were just beginning our own journey with goofy, lovable Bodie. We went to watch it on Christmas Day. We walked out of the theatre sobbing our
eyes out (if you know, you know). We all rushed home and hugged Bodie so tight; the rest of the night was spent simply giving him the love he deserved.
Bodie reminded us so much of that movie and all of the naughty things Marley would do. Bodie loved to chew on throw pillows and small toys – we’d catch him with something and laugh so hard saying “he got another one!” Once, he stole a bagel off the table that my brother was planning on eating. We have a photo of him, guilty eyes looking up at us with a mouthful of bagel. The morning after Easter one year, we came down to traces of candy wrappers scattered all over the floor. He was caught laying in the wrappers, that sweet guilty look on his face again. My mom took him straight to the vet in fear he’d get sick, but like Marley, he seemed indestructible. The photos we have of him in these moments have become treasured mementos of Bodie and how much joy he brought us.
Each Thanksgiving Day since Bodie has passed, my family has watched the National Dog Show presented by Purina while getting ready for the festivities. We watch the excellently trained and talented dogs and laugh about how Bodie could never – he’d be so misbehaved, jumping up on the tables looking for food or anything he could get into. It’s such a wonderful way to keep his memory alive – even years gone, he still keeps us laughing.
The National Dog Show will be held on November 15 and 16 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. Tickets are available now at nds.nationaldogshow.com. Come join millions of fans and see which dog takes home Best in Show this year! If you can’t make it in person, the two-hour special will air on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, from Noon to 2 p.m. across all time zones. We hope to see you there!
“A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water log stick will do just fine. A dog doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he’ll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?”
-Marley & Me
