This is Apollo! He is a 5-month old shih tzu, and my dad brought him home as a surprise for me about two weeks ago. He is the second dog of this breed that I have had (the first one we had for 15 years!), and I love him so much. My mother always said that another animal would not be coming into her house, but that changed when my relationship ended. When I moved back home, I had to leave behind the dog I had with my ex because my mother is allergic to her. I was so heartbroken. Phoebe, the dog I had to leave behind, was my first pet since my childhood dog passed away in 2018. I cried for weeks over it, and I still miss her every single day.
I can't even begin to describe the way I felt when my dad walked through the door with Apollo. Like I said, this was a complete surprise. I had been desperately searching for a dog that my mom wouldn't have an allergy to, but I hadn't been having any luck finding one near us for a good price. When I saw Apollo come walking into the kitchen I literally collapsed against the wall and started crying. I was in shock. I was in awe. I was in love the moment I saw him. I looked up at my dad with tears streaming down my face and saw that his eyes were red and he was holding back tears. Keep in mind that my dad is not an emotional man. I think I've seen him cry maybe two or three times in my 21 years on this planet. It was such an emotional moment and I'm getting choked up again just thinking about it.
Apollo is such a sweet, loving pup. He is always giving kisses and wants to cuddle, and he follows me wherever I go! He loves to play fetch and tug-of-war with his toys and the little growls he lets out as we play never fail to make me laugh. He may be a bit frustrating at times, but there will never be a day that goes by in which I am not grateful that he is mine.
