This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Dr. Reg Haid. It has been edited for length and clarity.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, my wife, Mary Ellen, and I were without a dog. That was unusual for us: Mary Ellen grew up with German Shepherds. I’d always had sporting dogs — labs and spaniels that could hunt with me. My last dog was a 25-pound Boykin Spaniel who was beautiful, but not very smart.
We have a property in Montana, so we had heard of Svalinn, a high-end protection dog breeder, and were accustomed to seeing the dogs around. One day, Mary Ellen suggested we go take a look at Svalinn. I told her, “I’m not getting one of those dogs.”
As a doctor, I’ve stitched up kids with dog bites. In the military, I saw how fearsome dogs can be. I didn’t want an aggressive dog. Yet, I went along to the Svalinn ranch because Mary Ellen asked me to.
When we got there, one of the dogs came up, kissed me, and put his head in my lap. That’s when I started to change my mind.
I don’t spend on cars or clothes, but the dogs are worth their price
We left, but I couldn’t get that dog out of my head. felt he had real intellect, which gave him the ability to connect with me emotionally. I needed him, especially during the lonely days of the pandemic.
Mary Ellen and I spent $75,000 on that dog, Elias, who is now 8. The Svalinn team brought him to our cabin for Christmas, and he was loving, gentle, and playful with our children and grandchildren. He immediately became part of the family. I was so smitten that I paid extra — $125,000, at the time — to get the pick of the next litter. Our second Svalinn dog, Rooster, is 4.
I’m embarrassed to say how much I spent on the dogs. I grew up very poor, on a West Virginia farm with no plumbing or heat. I couldn’t fathom spending six figures on a dog. However, I’ve been very fortunate in life to have achieved financial success, first as a neurosurgeon and now as a consultant to a medical device manufacturer. I have the financial means, and the value propositions of these dogs are just amazing. I drive a Ford truck and don’t spend money on fancy clothes, but I’m glad I spend it on my dogs.
The dogs offer protection, especially for my wife
As a man, I don’t worry much about my safety. The one time I’ve felt protected by my dogs was during one of our frequent hikes in Montana. They started acting alert. I didn’t wait to find out what was going on — I just got out of there.
Mary Ellen really appreciates having the dogs as deterrents and protection. I travel for work, and she never worries about being home alone with Elias and Rooster sleeping in our room. I’ve noticed that if something startles Mary Ellen, the dogs become very attentive and engaged.
When Elias was delivered, Mary Ellen and I did two days of work with Svalinn trainers, where we learned how to handle him. I work with them daily to keep them up to date with their commands, and we return to the Svalinn ranch at least once a year to work with their trainers. It’s an awesome couple of hours learning together. These dogs don’t just require a financial investment; they also require an emotional and time investment.
It’s hard to explain how special these dogs are
As an equestrian, there’s a feeling when you’re riding a really intelligent horse that’s transcendent. That’s the closest I can come to describing the value of Svalinn dogs. Quite frankly, there’s an emotional connection that I didn’t anticipate. I never knew I could love a dog so much.
If I had read this five years ago, I would have thought, “This guy’s crazy.” I know how it sounds, but Elias and Rooster are just different. They have all of the benefits of having a dog with none of the inconvenience: no barking or misbehavior. The intellect and emotional intelligence they have are worth every penny.
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