New Beginnings

I never have understood the allure of online dating.  After all, what is the likelihood of meeting Mr. Right in the nebulous world of cyberspace?  The Internet can be a breeding ground for deception and misrepresentation;  How can genuine chemistry be generated by two people being less then honest on their Match applications?  After months of research, I realized that it all originates with a fabulous profile and a few flattering pictures to boot.  At Animal Rescue Korea, volunteers put in the hard hours to create vivid, informative profiles of animals available for adoption at various shelters throughout Korea.  I never fancied myself a long distance love affair kind of gal, but soon I found myself browsing ARK profiles in the wee hours of the morning, waiting for updates, longing for more photos that might provide me with a glimpse of my perfect match. Then much to my surprise, I stumbled upon a handsome fellow named "Lobo," who not only caught my eye, but would eventually steal my heart.  It was through his rich, intriguing profile, filled with colorful photos and candid videos, that I opened my mind to the possibility of a long distance dalliance.  Suddenly, I started thinking about Lobo all of the time, revisiting his profile, making inquiries and wondering if this enigmatic character and I would make a perfect match.

Annie, our fabulous courier

Thanks to the hardworking volunteers of ARK and Asan shelter, our family was able to find the perfect match through their catalogue of detailed adoption profiles.  Lobo is a Korean Jindo who had lived at the shelter for 3 years,  just waiting for a second chance.  Although pedigreed Jindos are somewhat valued in Korea, a Jindo of unknown origin has little adoption appeal just based on his size alone.  Once we contacted the adoption coordinator at Asan, (Allison) she worked diligently to assist us with every detail involved with international adoption and transport.  When Lobo arrived at LAX via our generous courier, he had experienced a flight delay and ended up in his crate for over 20 hours. Despite such a challenging trip, he arrived in excellent health and was very curious to explore his new

surroundings.  As much as I wanted to show my excitement and give him a big hug and kiss, this was not a reality when bringing home a new Jindo.  I decided to forgo the crate and gave him free run of the house.  As expected, and in complete Jindo fashion, he potty trained himself and had no accidents since his arrival.  He also refrained from venturing upstairs for the first 3 days, choosing to stay close to the front door and stretching out on the cool, ceramic tile.  We immediately worked on socializing him with our son, by giving commands and treats from a dominant position, along with ample pats of encouragement. To the credit of all of the volunteers who previously handled him, he walks very well on the leash and will often look up to me for commands during our walk.  Much to my surprise, he's very friendly with other dogs and has an affinity for cruising in the car.  After two lengthy, patience-testing training sessions, he jumps into the car with ease and has even learned to ride next to our son in his car seat.  It almost seems like Lobo was destined to be our family dog and I often think about how easily he could have been overlooked if not for his wonderful ARK profile.  There is simply no way to ever fully express our gratitude for everyone involved in bringing Lobo home to us.  This is the dog we will take on hikes through our favorite scenic, rugged trails.  This is the dog who will run like the wind and frolick in the surf at Dog Beach, making us smile at every turn.  This is the dog that will grow up with our son, protect him and keep him safe while they explore the world together.  Lobo is our beloved friend, who will always be by our side, loving us unconditionally with each day that passes.  We are so filled with joy to hear the jingle of his collar in the morning and feel his whiskers tickle our cheeks as we wake up.  We never imagined in a million years that we'd find our newest family member half way across the world, but indeed he ended up being our perfect match.