Tucker Bear

We weren’t supposed to need a Tucker Bear.

It was 2019, and Brian and I had spent the last three years driving from Dayton to Fresno nearly every weekend remodeling our future home. We did most of the work ourselves and only had weekends to do it. Plus we both had full time careers THERE and weren’t in a huge hurry to leave those to come HERE, but now most of the work was done and our jobs were coming together in ways that allowed us to make the big jump and go! We put our house on the market, made career adjustments, decided we could live with the things in the house that weren’t done yet, and had the big move all planned out. It was huge and scary but we were ready.

Except there was one big thing we hadn’t, and couldn’t have, planned for.

One month before the big move our 11 year old heart dog Toby was hit with a sudden and devastating illness. Our world was rocked. Our best little buddy was gone. And somehow we had to keep it together and carry on.

I was working from home when we first moved in. We had brought our cat Marley and a handful of chickens with us, but that was it for critters those first few months. I remember most days when Brian went to work I would sit here in my temporary office doing my job and missing Toby horribly. It wasn’t just his absence, that was bad enough, but it was the sudden lack of a dog! I couldn’t recall a time I didn’t have a dog in my life, and it was unbearable to deal with it now. No one barked at the window when I came home, no one made me go outside 15 times to smell fresh air and potty. No one waited patiently for the last bite of whatever I was eating.

No one needed me.

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When Brian picked him up, that puppy climbed right up against his chest and eagerly kissed away all the tears that threatened to fall. I know it was a big job, healing a heart so broken, but this kid started immediately.

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I started longing for another furry buddy to hang out with me while I worked. I started looking through rescue posts, available puppy ads, and scouring the shelter pages for just the right little guy. When I saw the pic of this cream colored fur ball, front paw high in the air like he was waving just to me, I knew this little guy was special.

It took some convincing to get Brian on board. I know he wasn’t ready to move on, but I also knew that I really needed a fluffy companion, and soon. He finally relented and we drove the two hours to meet him. When Brian picked him up, that puppy climbed right up against his chest and eagerly kissed away all the tears that threatened to fall. I know it was a big job, healing a heart so broken, but this kid started immediately.

Unlike most new critters that seem to announce their name to us right away, we spent a couple of weeks trying to name our new tiny fluffball. Tucker was on my short list of options, but it started with a T and I was concerned we would inadvertently call him Toby too many times so I didn’t mention it. Apparently it was also on Brian’s short list, but he held it back for the same reason. I don’t recall who threw it in the ring first, but since we had both come up with it we decided to give it a shot. We started calling him Tucker Bear and it stuck.

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These days Tucker plays a huge role on our farm as Farm Pupdate Manager. Somewhere along the way he started writing a semi-regular post on our socials known as Tucker Tuesday where he regales readers with childlike accounts of happenings at our homestead. When we haven’t posted a story from him in a while we sure hear about it. Pretty sure the fame has gone to his head.

Tucker was one of our first pups to take classes with Ashton & Co, but prior to that we had tried out an agility class. Since it was over an hour drive to get there it wasn’t something we were able to continue with, so I was thrilled when Ashton said she would be offering Agility courses. Little did I know that just a year later I would be teaching those classes and growing our curriculum. Now we have a small group of students, myself included, actively participating in Agility trials — all thanks to Tucker Bear and his “agilities”.

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Tucker has also taught me a ton about reading anxious body language. I initially thought my pint-sized friend was willfully defiant in public settings, but have since learned that even though he doesn’t cower behind me or shiver with fear he is actually quite insecure. Watching him closely and learning how to help him settle and adjust in group classes has helped me learn what to watch for in other pups. Often when a student is frustrated with their dog’s inattentive behavior in class they are shocked to learn their dog is acting out of a lack of confidence. Far from ignoring their handler, the dogs are actually screaming for help. Thanks to Tucker I know how to lend a hand!

You’ll hear me in class refer to him as the “fun police” since he scolds his packmates when they romp too hard. Despite his strong-willed nature he is actually very eager to please and has quickly learned all the skills I’ve asked him to tackle.

I know the tiny dogs aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but my Poms have always been special to me and Tucker Bear is no exception. We might not have planned to get a Tucker Bear, but I think he was part of a bigger plan, and I couldn’t be happier to have him on my team.

—Becky