Meet Milo! Our beautiful Black Lab…

When people ask me why I choose Milo, I often tell them that he was the present for my girlfriend’s birthday.

🐾It’s a cute story🐾 - we had balloons🎈, food🥩, and all our family gathered around to see what was inside the beautifully wrapped, but yapping, box. My girlfriend eagerly unwrapped the gift and POP! Out jumped Milo, our new wiggling Black Lab Puppy. Our hearts💖 melted then and there.🦴

He was already a part of our family.

But the truth is so much more than that. Milo wasn’t just a birthday gift... he was going to be my...           Best Friend.

I’m Heath. Outdoorsman at Heart💖

Ever since I was a kid, I loved the outdoors. 🪵🦌You could find me anywhere that wasn’t surrounded by four walls - swimming in the local lake, riding my bike🚴 through the woods 🪵🦌 behind our house🏡, or climbing the world’s tallest trees (well, to me, anyway). Mom was constantly calling me back as the sun set🌇, begging me to come inside for dinner. If I could have lived outside, I would. I guess you can say I was an outdoorsy kind of kid.

My parents thought that I would get bored of being out in the wilderness as I got older. But I didn’t. I still love the outdoors. I love hiking through unknown territory as the sun rises above the horizon🌇✨. I love going hunting while snow falls ❄️softly to the ground❄️. I love hearing the soothing sounds🎵 of local birds singing and calling to their mates as I walk down another trail. There isn’t anything I don’t love about being outside - it’s where I truly feel at peace.

The problem❓ I didn’t have enough friends to share it with. My girlfriend is an b-e-a-utiful self-confessed city-girl, who preferred the fast-paced life of a go-getter over a camping trip under the stars. And while we shared plenty of other interests, just isn't one of them.

I spent most of my time on hikes and walking trails by myself.

Not being enough of your breathe in the fresh air on a mountain top is indescribable, it can be pretty lonely. I didn’t know it at the time, but I wanted a best friend more than anything in the world.

MILO. A BEST FRIEND FOR LIFE

Enter Milo🐾. Did I have an ulterior motive for choosing an 🐾adorable black Lab puppy🐾 as a birthday gift? Yup. Did I feel bad about it? Not for a second. Because I knew from the moment my girlfriend opened that box that Milo was going to be my NEW 'Partner in Crime'. I had big plans for this tiny little puppy...🦴🐾💩

Milo quickly made himself at home..... There were many new and exciting things to explore in his ✨New backyard - to play with! We spent that first day playing fetch🐾, and hide and seek in the long grass. Milo even tried to start a fight with our cactus - but lost. Already I could tell he was up for just as much adventure as I was.

My heart swelled with excitement.

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS

Milo and I spent a couple of weeks visiting 👪friends and family 👩‍👦who all instantly fell in love with him🐾. Living in Texas, there are so many awesome routes for epic road trips. Milo and I visited my Parents, took a ride on the paddle board, watched sunsets, and met loads of puppy pals for Milo...

I always enjoyed hitting the open road and visiting places like the Guadalupe Mountains National Park and San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. But this time I had someone to do it with!

And not just any old someone, but with Milo🐾 - who was fast becoming an extension of me. My best friend.

During these weeks, Milo seemed to grow SO quickly.

I went from cuddling him in my arms to barely being able to lift him onto my lap. I was growing too - I had to learn how to open my once lonely life to another being. I no longer could think solely of myself. I had Milo now - and he was quickly becoming everything to me.

A TRIP TO REMEMBER

The day📅 had come for me to finally take Milo on his first hunting trip. He had shown me all the signs that he was ready - his adult teeth had come in and his tracking and sniffing skills had improved. And at seven months, he was the perfect age to learn the art of hunting. So I packed our hunting gear, loaded Milo in the passenger seat of my truck, and together we headed down to Hill Country to hunt ducks. Milo knew something big was happening - he could smell the excitement in the air.

We arrived a few hours later. I began unpacking my truck as soon as we pulled in. Milo obediently jumped out of the truck and started to sniff at the ground and the foliage. There were so many new sights and smells for Milo to experience - after all, he had never been on a hunting trip before.

Suddenly, Milo’s body froze. He jerked his head high, staring at something in the distance. With wide eyes, Milo’s breathing began to quicken.

“Whatcha see, boy?” I asked Milo, smiling to myself. It was good to see Milo already become the hunting dog I dreamed he’d be. My smile faded as I watched Milo’s body stiffen.

A deep growl came from Milo’s throat. I’d never heard him growl like that before. My heart began to pound. I turned to see what Milo was looking at, but could only see trees and bushes. We were surrounded.

“What is it, Milo?” I asked again. Milo’s hair stood on end. His growl became louder, his stare more intense. I started to breathe more quickly. What could Milo see?

Leaves crunched in the distance. I turned in the direction of the sound. Suddenly, I see it. A gasp escapes my throat.