Yuzu

Masato's Dad with the puppy Yuzu

My friend Misato told me a story about her father getting supported to get better after a crisis of loss in his aged life from a puppy. Misato, in her forties, lives with her husband and they visit her parents whenever they can. Her father is in his eighties. He worked as an engineer for a company, but then started his own engineering practice. He gradually decreased his work load and finally, totally retired in his eighties.

During his late sixties and seventies and into his early eighties, the family had a Shiba named Anzu. Misato's father took care of it and walked it every morning and evening. He called it his youngest daughter in his speech at his elder daughter’s wedding party. Sadly, Anzu passed away when she was 17 years old and his life totally changed. He stayed at home all the time and never went out. He felt he had lost his energy and showed weakness. He admitted, “I’m sad” and all of that worried his family members.

Misato and her sister suggested to their father that he should get a new dog, but he was not interested in their proposal at all. Nevertheless, Misato, her sister and her mother decided they would get one anyway, a toy poodle. When he learned that they were going to adopt a three-month toy poodle, Misato's father started getting information and learning how to take care of a baby toy poodle. When the puppy arrived, it was named Yuzu by Misato and her sister. Without comment, their father smoothly started caring for the dog. He always controlled the room temperature to fit the baby toy poodle’s condition. He managed well the puppy feeding as it changed with his growth. He handled the clean-up from accidents as he helped the puppy learn to handle peeing and pooping in the right places. To do this, he started walking it in the morning and afternoon, then in the evening too. He watched TV with Yuzu and plays the puppy and its toys. They spend all day together and it’s their routine that Yuzu sleeps in a cage in the Misato's father's bedroom.

Misato's father has been busy taking care of Yuzu. He smiles when Yuzu indicates a desire to play with him or be put on his lap. While walking Yuzu, her father enjoys smiling conversations with their neighbors. He often has a smile that his family members hadn’t seen for a long time. The family is really happy that the father has recovered from loneliness and depression with the help of the family's new puppy.