About

Hi, my name is Nick and I like to think that I'm a rational thinker. I calculate every move I make. I weigh the pros and cons, I look at the impact of my actions and the consequence associated to these actions and then I decide on the most reasonable action to take. Everything I do is calculated. So…. That’s why I thought it’d be a great idea to get a puppy, while attending University full-time, working over 20 hours a week and playing competitive hockey! Yea…rational thinking...

As you may have noticed, most of the words that come out of my mouth (or written on a website… in this case) are sarcastic. Now I know that sarcasm doesn’t come across particularly well when written, so for the remainder of this text, anything written in Italics indicate me being a sarcastic little angel.

Darcy came into my life out of nowhere. Within 24 hours, I had gone from not even looking for a dog to having a 3-month-old German Shepherd sitting in my lap, gnawing on my ear. We were so unprepared that when we picked her up, one stormy Sunday evening, we didn’t even have a collar or leash for her!

One boring Saturday evening I was scrolling through Kijiji, not looking at anything in particular, and came across an ad of a beautiful, shy looking GSD (German Shepherd Dog) looking to be relocated. I clicked on the ad and toyed with the idea of getting another family dog. Our 14-year-old Beagle had passed away the month prior and we were still feeling the effects. I woke up the next morning and couldn't get this pup off my mind. Her little sad face was engrained in my mind! So, during our Sunday family dinner, I had half-heartedly pitched the idea of picking up this beautiful little GSD I had seen online, knowing that they would dismiss the idea. My parents looked at each other for a split-second and said the “sure – but she’ll be your dog. When you move out, she leaves with you!"

I was out the door before they could finish their sentence! No TAKE-BACKS! At 8:15PM on a Sunday evening, my brother, his girlfriend and I got into my car and drove nearly two hours to retrieve my new GSD – Darcy. It was only on my way back home did I realize what I had just done... I had a fur-baby. I was now a father...WHAT HAVE I DONE?

I hadn't even told my girlfriend.... and I knew she would freak! What better way then sending her a SnapChat of our new pup...right? I swear I didn't even hit send before my phone began ringing - Complete and utter chaos ensued.

**incomprehensible words followed by a bunch of screaming, cries of joy (I think) and a massive BANG**

Two seconds later I hear a new voice over the phone - my girlfriend's roommates have picked up the phone and are yelling at me asking what I have done to her. They say she's crying and can't speak. I tell them I bought a puppy and am on my way over to show them.

**More incomprehensible screaming followed by a few explicit words and cries of joy (they are for sure this time...)**

By the time I made it home, it was nearly 12:30AM. I worked the next morning and needed to get to sleep... like that was going to happen. My parents had gotten our old dog crate out of storage and installed it in the kitchen for our Darcy. And then the crying began... at one point I wasn't sure who was crying louder, Darcy because she didn't like her cage or me because I couldn't get any sleep. It was at this point I began to realize what I had just done. I now had my own baby. No more going out at night, no more staying late at work, no more sleeping over at friends places and NO MORE SLEEP... I should have never gotten a puppy. I was in my prime years! I was free to do what I wanted, when I wanted! But not anymore...

Fast forward two years to today and I wouldn't change a thing. Darcy has grown into the sassiest, goofiest and most loyal dog I have ever known. Now in my final year of University and still working over 20 hours a week, I was able to raise my pup without much compromise from my previous life without her. Words cannot describe how much joy, love and purpose she has added to my life. But the journey has just begun. Join the journey by following along on this website. Explore with us through our Photos page and learn with us through our Blog posts. Either way, thank you for reading!