My name is Loki — though some days I think “Shadow,” “Ghost,” or “Velcro” might have been more accurate. I was born December 12th, 2020, in the middle of a chaotic world full of lockdowns and unknowns. But I was never really part of that chaos. I was born calm, observant, and a little wild around the edges.
I came from a place called Lancaster Puppies — delivered from Ohio straight to my dad’s front door. He did his homework. Talked to some farmers out that way and made sure everything checked out before I ever left the ground I was born on. And when I arrived? I wasn’t much bigger than his forearm. My head rested in his hand, my backside near his elbow. Now? I take up half the bed. A California King, no less.
My earliest memories aren’t of toys or treats, but of another dog. Ruger. He was the old soul in the house when I was the new blood. At first, he stood between me and the fence line — between me and anything dangerous. I didn’t realize it then, but I was learning everything from him. And I watched. I listened. I remembered.
By the time I was six months old, the roles had shifted. I was the one standing in front of Ruger. I knew my job.
When Ruger crossed the rainbow bridge, I didn’t take it well. I looked for him for months. Sat in his favorite spots. Cried. Whimpered. Laid in silence where he used to rest. It wasn’t just loss. It was losing a piece of myself.
But grief is just love without a home. And over time, my dad and I made a new one. Together.
These days, I’m not just his dog. I’m his partner, his guardian, and his reminder that life still moves forward. I haven’t had formal training. I just became who I am — with a few boundaries, a lot of trust, and one person who always believed in me. To most, I might look like a wild dog. But to him, I’m a gentleman. Always.
Now we’re hitting the road. One pin on the map at a time. New lands. New smells. New memories. I’ll be at his side the whole way — sometimes leading, sometimes following, but never far behind.
I am Loki. I’m not just along for the ride. I am the reason for it.
