Story and photography supplied by Ankita Singh Deo
It was, quite literally, love at first sight when we found Lucas as a baby from the Facebook page of Ark Animal Centre, Johannesburg. But only after he came home did we know what pure love felt like.
Complete with a dog
As a couple, my husband and I had always imagined our family complete with a dog in it. We’d been considering bringing one home for a year… and then we saw Lucas (then named Jack). I still remember how he clung to me all the way home and fell asleep instantly. He set foot into our lives and home when he was just eight weeks old – just a tiny peanut that could barely walk straight.
His first puppy year, I was a stay-at-home mom, and we developed a very strong bond. I taught him tricks and basic obedience at home. He also went to puppy classes where he had so much fun. He’s always been very clever. He loves his toys, food and especially his blankets. We’ve been on many road trips together, and he absolutely loves visiting new places. Needless to say, his blankets follow him everywhere. He loves eating – biscuits, chicken, treats, peanut butter – and he’s ready for a game of fetch any hour of the day or night, and he loves chasing off birds.
Lucas is extremely affectionate and loves to cuddle. He’s the definition of a good boy and is so expressive and attentive; there have been so many times that I just see him and say, “Will you start talking already? I know you have so much to say!”
Perfect family
Lucas recently celebrated his turning two years old. Over the past two years he’s become the centre of our world. He’s very high-energy, playful, extremely loving, intelligent, sensitive and entertainingly expressive, and an absolute puppy at heart. Each passing day we fall more in love with him, and I hope he knows how much we love him and what he means to us.
I had a perfect visual in my head of a complete and perfect family. And, with Lucas, this visual came to life in a way I could never have imagined. He made us realise what love and family really meant.
I’ve always believed that he found us, and the unconditional love he’s filled our lives with just makes my heart so full.
We’ve always been curious to know how many dogs are hidden in him, and so we decided to do the MuttMix DNA test on our boy.
Lucas’s MuttMix Results:
Level 3 Beagle
Level 3 Alaskan Malamute
Level 4 Miniature Pinscher
Level 4 German Shepherd Dog
Having received his results, we’ve been pretty convinced on the Shepherd traits – and surprised that Border Collie didn’t show up. All the vets and everyone who’s met him have been absolutely certain that he’s part Collie.
Dominique of MuttMix adds…
I can see why everyone thought part Collie, but he actually has combined traits from all of the breeds (which we surprisingly don’t see that often – usually one or two of the breeds are dominant). That combination would definitely make a high-energy, intelligent dog, and you’ll probably find that he’s quite a “family” boy with the Malamute in there – they’re pack dogs, so if they don’t have a dog pack, they’ll treat their human family as their pack.