[Dog parents: Courtney & Bart Emken]

We were about half a mile from home, and my wife was driving. Suddenly she slowed down and said, "What is that?" There was something small in the middle of the road, sitting upright.

"It's a puppy, I said, and I looked a little further down the road. "And there's the guy who dumped him!" My wife pulled up next to the bewildered pup, and I opened my door and greeted him. I got out, scooped him up, and put him in my lap. He was skinny and scared, and he had numerous lash marks on his face. Furious, I pointed down the road at the car that was now turning around in my driveway. "He dumped his dog."

Off we went, and the way my wife was driving, I thought, "God help this man." She blocked the road with our minivan and spit at the wide-eyed stranger. "Is this your dog?"

"No, I don't have a dog," he said. I explained to him that dogs don't usually sit in the middle of the road like that, but he insisted. "No, I gave my dog to the shelter." But his eyes betrayed him the way he'd betrayed this dog.

"This is not a shelter. It's my road!" snapped my wife. And she asked again, "Is this your dog?" The guy finally caved and admitted the puppy was his. He explained that he had a newborn and that had bought the dog for ten dollars in a parking lot but that he was just too "rebellious," and the shelter wouldn't take him, so dumping him was his best option. Then he offered to take the puppy back.

"You can't have him back!" said my wife, and I've never been prouder of her than in that moment. Of course, that also meant we had a new dog now, and his name had to be Rebel.

That was thirteen years ago. Rebel has lived up to his name for sure, but he has also been a dear friend to my family and me. He is a wonderful watchdog and faithful companion to us all. I tell people is nickname is "the nose" because he leads with it everywhere he goes. A mix of Labrador and Great Dane, he is one of the most handsome dogs I've ever met. He has taught me about patience and second chances, and that all the love we give will come back to us in multiples.