I had just bought a house with a great yard, and I knew that I needed a big dog to share it with. I figured it would take a while to find the right pup, but—bam!—first time at Town Lake Animal Center, and there was Bart. He was the only dog not barking; instead, he was giving me a look that said, “Is that a ball? Are we gonna play? Because that would be amazing!” I knew in that moment that Bart was my guy.

Bart had been found and brought to the shelter at about six months old. He was there for about two months before he was adopted out and then returned! He’d been waiting for me for about three months. But whatever his past, we have been each other’s present. He has been my shadow since I brought him home.

I didn’t have a name in mind yet, and the shelter had given him the name Bart. I figured I’d wait a few days to rename him until I could discover his personality. I quickly learned that he is 100 percent Bart Simpson. So Bart it is!