Welcoming a dog into your family is a beautiful thing, but some connections are much deeper than the typical love for animals. Many people just love dogs, so they enjoy having pets and usually continue to adopt them until they reach capacity. While we can have love, respect, and adoration for every dog, we don’t develop the deep, captivating connection with every dog. If you’ve ever experienced this with your past or current pup, you already know what I’m talking about. Soul dogs are few and far between, but they’re undeniable—read on to learn how to determine if you’ve found your soul dog.

The Love is Immediate

Adopting a dog is kind of like a box of chocolates: you never truly know what you’re going to get. Will they become aggressive or obnoxious? Are they going to be easy to train? Will they feel comfortable with your family? Honestly, there’s always some level of uncertainty behind adopting a dog. Deciding to take a chance on a new furry friend based on a picture and description is kind of tough and a little scary.

However, the uncertainties and worries seem to slip away as soon as you meet your soul dog. When you meet them, the love is immediate and your heart gushes for them in a second. When I laid eyes on my fur baby and he looked at me, I just knew he was mine. I was so drawn to him—I teared up, reached out for him, and he walked willingly into my arms.

The rest is history. He’s glued to me now.

Other Dogs Don’t Give You the Same Feeling

I’ve had other family dogs in the past, met so many other dogs, and even enjoy visiting and playing with my family’s and friend’s dogs, but none of them have ever filled my heart like Axel has. Some people are just dog people, and they’ll love any pup in front of them. Don’t get me wrong; I love dogs. But I don’t love all dogs.

It doesn’t seem to matter what he does, how much he frustrates me, or how annoying he is, I always have deep understanding and patience for him. It’s very difficult to put into words, but most puppers don’t elicit the same feeling I get when I see Axel. If you feel this way about your four-legged pal, there’s a good chance you’ve met your soul dog.

The Thought of Losing Them is Unbearable

Obviously, losing any pet is difficult. But some losses are way worse than others. It might seem irrational to react more sorrowfully to the loss of a dog than another human being, but pets truly are family members. It’s like you already know that day will come eventually when you have to let go of your furry pal, but even the thought of losing your soul dog is unbearable.

It makes me tear up just thinking about it. When that day comes, I already know I’ll be a complete wreck—it’ll hurt worse than almost anything else life could throw at me.

You Feel Incomplete Without Them

I work from home, so I spend a lot of time with my golden boy. We also try to take him anywhere we can, as we don’t like leaving him home alone if we don’t have to. When we do have to leave him, it always hurts my heart a little. Whether I’m leaving him for a few hours or a few days, I don’t like it!

When I’m away from him, I feel like a part of me is missing. Even if another dog is around to keep me company, I still feel incomplete if Axel isn’t there.

Hopefully, now you can determine whether or not you’ve found your soul dog. I know many people will say “it’s just a dog,” but the connection I share with this furry guy is unlike anything I’ve ever felt. It didn’t feel like a coincidence that I found him, and I truly feel like he was a blessing from God that I wasn’t even seeking. There are so many convincing reasons to adopt a dog, but the possibility that you just might find your soul dog is by far the most exciting! If you haven’t met yours yet, you’ll definitely know when you do.