Featuring Jon Gagnon, Emily Chessa, and Oli the dog
Story and images captured on Oct. 29, 2023 at Kingcrest Park in Vancouver, BC by Jenn Lin © All Rights Reserved
JENN: “Whose idea was it to get a dog?”
JON: “It was my idea. I had always chatted about having a cat and a dog. Emily wanted the cat first, but I thought getting a dog first was a better scenario because cats are so territorial. So I was browsing a lot online for dogs and in response to everything I sent, Emily was like, ‘No, we’re not getting a dog.’ Do you remember why?”
EMILY: “Yeah, because I said they’re gonna be way too much work. We’d have to find a place for it to be during the day while we worked. We just didn’t have the time for a dog. A cat will be easy—it’ll just stay at home.”
JON: “Emily thought about it and said she didn’t want a dog. But I kept browsing. I found a post on Kijiji and this dog breeder, Deb, had a Chihuahua mom that just had a litter. So I asked, ‘Is there one in the group that’s like a quiet, weird, introverted dog?’ And she goes, ‘Oh yeah, Oreo.’ It was my birthday the next day, so we’re out for brunch having a couple mimosas and I say to Emily, ‘Oh by the way, we have to go see a dog.’”
EMILY: “And I can’t say no. It’s his birthday and he already set up the time to go visit her. So I said OK, let’s just go look. Just to hold it. Just to see what its temperament is like. We’re not getting it though, because we’re not prepared. It’s a bigger talk—a puppy that’s 8-weeks old.”
JON: “So we met Deb in front of this vet clinic, and she slides open the minivan door, and she’s like ‘Which one again? Oh yeah, Oreo.’ She shouts to her mom sitting in the passenger seat, ‘Which one is Oreo again?’ Her mom goes, ‘He’s in the back!’”
EMILY: “She picks him up and pulls him out of the little crate, and he was so small that I immediately was like, ‘Oh my god, my heart.’ And she just plopped him on my chest and I just held him. And my sister was there and held one of the brothers. We were looking at both of them, but the way Oreo looked up at me and laid in my arms, it felt like he was home.”
JON: “Then Deb started bargaining with me. She’s like, ‘Look, normally it’s $750 for a pup, but I can see you got a connection, so I’ll give it to you for $700, and if you throw in an extra hundo, I’ll get you the first 3 vaccinations here at the clinic.’ I asked, ‘How does that work?’ She goes, ‘Just tell ‘em Deb sent ya.’ So I said, ‘OK, what’s your e-transfer e-mail?’ and Emily goes, ‘NO. NO. We’re not buying it are we?’ I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, we’re buying it. There’s a PetSmart down the street. Just get a book. Get the bed. You’re gonna be fine.’”
EMILY: “Back in the car, I’m having a little panic attack. I’m thinking, I can’t do this. I can’t raise this little puppy. I start bawling, but I’m still holding onto him. Deb wrapped him up in this little blanket, so I just had him on my chest inside this little blanket, meanwhile thinking, ‘Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. We’re bringing this little baby home.’”
JON: “I had a hockey game that night, so I said to Emily, ‘You’re gonna have to take care of the dog.’ And she goes, ‘I don’t know what to do.’ I assured her she would be fine. … The game was an hour and a half, and I check my phone when I get into the dressing room. I’ve missed like 42 texts from Emily. They all read something like, ‘I can’t do this. I’m not capable of having this dog. It’s too much work. I’m not going to be able to handle this, please come home. He’s pooing everywhere. He’s peeing everywhere. He doesn’t listen. I don’t know how to do this.’”
EMILY: “That’s when we really bonded, because I was lonely, and he was lonely, so I brought him up to the bed with me. That moment was kind of the turning point of our relationship. With Jon gone, I had to take care of Oli all by myself, so that was a big learning moment.”
EMILY: “My mom and my sister were with me that night and they were saying, ‘Whoa, this is a lot of work. Are you sure you’re ready for this?’”
JON: “So I got home and made a deal with Emily that if by Monday she didn’t want the dog I’d put him back on Craigslist. Then I spent all week working from home, slowly training Oli, getting him crate and potty trained.”
JENN: “Do you remember the moment when you decided you weren’t going to give him up?”
EMILY: “I think it was honestly that next day when I came home from work. I was just so excited to see him, and he gave me so much love. I was like, oh this is nice to come home to after a day—that endless love. He immediately came over and jumped all over me, and plopped himself up on my shoulder here, like he knew I was his mom. And then every other day after that I was so excited to see my little bundle of joy. I don’t think I knew it then, that that was the moment where I was like, oh, I do actually want this little guy.”
JON: “And now they’re best friends. And he’s such a momma’s boy.”
EMILY: “Having Oli has really allowed me to think about something other than myself. Now, I worry about him all the time. I wanted a cat, but having this little personality follow me around all the time is actually quite nice. Oli wants so much love all the time, and he gives back.”
Do you have a story to share about your dog? Contact Jenn today and you could win a free photoshoot plus 3 digital images!* A few ways you can share your story: over the phone/Zoom/Facetime, in person or via e-mail. And even if you don’t have the story all thought out, don’t worry—Jenn can help you with that.
*Conditions apply, and while offer lasts. Must reside in Greater Vancouver / Lower Mainland. Please inquire for more details.
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Dogs Will Teach You Love 