Heaven Is A Dog: Meet Home Depot's Cutest 'Employee' & Her Mom, Jackie!

How Heaven Came To Jackie

AMANDA: Can you please tell us a little about Heaven’s background? How did you find each other? What was her story before meeting you?

JACKIE: I love telling the story of how Heaven came to be in my life. A few years prior to getting Heaven, I’d gotten my first solo apartment and was living on my own.

I wanted a dog so badly, but at the time, I was working long and irregular hours, and I knew it wasn’t the right time to bring home a new family member.

On my commute one day, I saw a sign for an animal rescue – a quick search online led me to their foster application. We had a few months a year at work that were quieter than the rest, so I signed up to foster during the down time.

It let me have a dog for a short time and helped a dog on their journey to a family – a win-win. I fostered three dogs ranging from a 2.5-pound Chihuahua mix to a 60-pound, flat-coated retriever.

After foster number three, I found myself switching jobs. A new routine and settling into my new role led me to take a break from fostering, but I told myself that in the early summer, I would look at bringing another foster pup home. That plan was short-lived.

On a chilly February day in Chicago, I found myself scrolling through Facebook over my lunch break. The rescue posted dogs who needed fosters often, so seeing the requests was nothing new.

Except, on that day, I couldn’t shake this gut feeling I had when I saw a picture of this little five-month-old puppy, named Heaven, in a tiny shelter cage filled with newspaper. I kept trying to remind myself that I was waiting – I needed time to settle in at work.

I lost that battle with myself, and three days later, I was picking Heaven up from the rescue as foster number four. But you know, I was just fostering. She’d be in and out in a matter of weeks.

Heaven Goes Home — With Someone Else

Heaven as a puppy (Picture Credit: posted with permission from Jackie Rakers)

JACKIE: The universe had other plans, though. Heaven had two Cherry Eyes – basically, part of their third eyelid protrudes out from the corner of their eyes. It can cause irritation and eye infections, but luckily, it can be taken care of with a quick surgical procedure.

A few weeks into her stay with me, Heaven went for her spay and her eye procedure. When I picked her up, the vet asked if I was adopting or fostering. Of course, I said “just fostering.” I knew I wanted to adopt, but I hadn’t told anyone yet.

A few days later, I got the call that the vet wanted to adopt Heaven. I was crushed. Of course, I had first dibs as her foster mom, but how could I deny this sweet, little dog life with a vet for a mom? So we made the arrangements, and Heaven went off to her new home.

I spent the evening sobbing. I was absolutely heartbroken that she was gone.

Chasing Cats To Get Back Home

I woke up 36 hours later to an email from her adopter. Heaven had spent every possible moment for those 36 hours relentlessly chasing the cats in her new home. I found it a little odd, since she hadn’t shown much of a prey drive.

However, I immediately made the arrangements for her to come back to me. As soon as I had her back in my arms, I promised her we would never be apart again. I called the rescue and asked for new adoption papers – this time, with my name on them.

I have no doubt in my mind Heaven knew I needed her. She realized she had to do something, and she chased those cats until they got the message and brought her back to me.

AMANDA: What a sweet story! I’m glad it all worked out in the end.

A Nervous Pup Learns To Feel Safe

AMANDA: What challenges did Heaven face when you met her? How smart of you to think of taking her to Home Depot to desensitize her — was that a long process? Has she grown out of her fears?

JACKIE: Heaven was a typical puppy on the surface – she liked her toys and doing anything to earn a treat. But if she wasn’t in a very controlled, quiet setting, you could see her start to get uncomfortable.

One of the first things I noticed was how she acted on walks. She would get excited to go and then panic when we left the yard. She’d pull on her leash and try to get to the door of any house and get back inside.

Based on the info I have, it is believed she was a stray and likely faced some scary situations on the streets. She had a large, bald spot on her back leg/hip; the vet said she seemed to be losing her hair from stress.

You could tell she wanted to enjoy herself, but deep down, she was just so afraid that something scary was around any corner – inside felt safe. It took us a few weeks and some treats, but she learned the neighborhood and grew to really enjoy being out and about.

But Men Were Still Scary For Heaven

Today, they are the best of friends and have the sweetest relationship – it just took time for Heaven to learn that her Grandpaw was safe and good and would always keep her safe, too.

Other men were still a different story. All it took was for a man to be anywhere near her, and she’d start to cower and bark.

So we made up a “game” to help her be more comfortable. I taught her the “watch me” command – if I said “watch me” and she made eye contact, she got a treat. Once she had it down, we needed men to practice on.

Where better than a dog-friendly home improvement store?

Off To Home Depot For Practice

She quickly learned that seeing a man and checking in with mom earned her a reward. From there, we started pushing it more and more to other aisles and to getting in a closer proximity to other people.

The female staff at Home Depot quickly grew to love Heaven – she had no fear of them and would gladly be pet and roll over to have them rub her belly. I told them about Heaven and what we were working on, and they were nothing but understanding.

One day, I heard hammering coming from the back of the store and the voices of kids – Kids Workshop was happening! I had gone as a kid myself, and I knew it was a perfect opportunity to practice maintaining her focus and calm with a new distraction.

She sat perfectly beside me, watching everything happen and checking in periodically for reassurance and a treat. I got to chatting with the staff about going to that same store myself for the kids workshop many many years ago.

She sits in the backseat of the car and just waits for me to put it on her before she jumps out and takes off for “work.”

AMANDA: That is absolutely adorable!

A Little Dog With Lots Of Love To Give

AMANDA: Can you tell us more about Heaven’s personality? I bet it emerged slowly as you helped her get over her fears.

JACKIE: From day one, she loved with her whole heart.

When I got to the rescue to pick her up, she was in the back of a crate hiding. They scooped her out in a blanket and put her in my arms. The second I started petting her and talking, her tail started to wag.

She was just so sweet and loving, despite having had a rough start to life.

The rest of her personality took some time to emerge. Once she gained confidence, a stubborn streak came out – my mom says it’s payback for my younger years. And her smile – I didn’t see her smile come out until several months after adopting her. But now, she just can’t hold it in.

She’s super playful – she loves her squeaky balls and has at least one in every room, not to mention more at relatives’ houses for when she visits. She’s goofy, too – every summer, she notices the crab apples on the trees in our yard and jumps up and down picking them.

But when it’s time to settle down, she’s always up for a nap. Heaven truly lives every day like it’s the best day of her life.

AMANDA: That’s so charming, and it’s a lesson we humans could learn from!

Heaven Brings A Bit Of Heaven

AMANDA: I absolutely love how Heaven gets such joy out of her “job,” as much joy as others get out of her. You can see the happy smile on her face! Why do you think her “job” makes her so happy? Do you think she has some “working dog” class of breed in her mix?

JACKIE: I actually did her DNA test– it came back as Chow Chow, Lab, Boxer, Pekignese, and Parsons Russell. She’s a true mutt!

To me, it seems like Heaven knows what it’s like to be sad or scared. She lived that life for five to six months before the rescue pulled her, and I think she understands to some degree that people changed her life for her.

It’s almost like she wants to pay it forward and make sure that, if someone else is having a bad day, that they get shown some love.

AMANDA: The way she tracks down people who need doggy cuddles is uncanny. How do you think she knows who needs a little extra love?

JACKIE: Sometimes, people make eye contact with her and let out the “aww,” and once they do, she hones in. It’s like she knows that someone who acknowledges her is someone who deserves to be loved on and might need a pick-me-up.

If they crouch down, she presses herself up against their chest and lays her head on them – it’s the sweetest thing!

Other times, I have no idea what triggers it. Someone can be facing the other direction looking at items on a shelf, and Heaven stops walking and stares. I’ll tell her “no,” and I get this glare.

By that point, we’ve caught the person’s attention, and almost every time they turn around and greet her and mention how they could use some dog love. I know she can sense when I get anxious and stressed, so I assume she picks it up in others as well.

She’s even alerted to medical episodes in family members before they say anything – she was never trained for any sort of task like that, she just seems to have the natural ability to sense when there is a change in people.

AMANDA: That is incredible! What a special dog Heaven is!

How Do You Get Those Adorable Dog Pics?

AMANDA: Do you have any tips for us amateur dog parent photographers on how you get those adorable pictures of Heaven? I love the poses, settings, and her smiles!

JACKIE: I’d start with teaching “watch me.” Not only is it great for refocusing them if there is a distraction, but it’s great to get her to look at me for a photo!

Although, I don’t even usually have to say it now; she quickly learned that when I have her sit and point my phone at her, there’s going to be a photo, and she can get a treat from me.

AMANDA: What a brilliant idea! I take tons of photos of my dog, Leia, but I’ve never thought to try a “watch me” command; that would help so much!

JACKIE: I’m glad to hear it! I will say, Heaven is sometimes too smart! She has posed for a photo before when I haven’t had a treat on me. If I try again after, she won’t look at me. It’s almost like she’s protesting having modeled for free.

AMANDA: That’s so funny!

JACKIE: It is! A strong “stay” is also great so that they don’t come running to get the treat before you can snap the photo. As far as her smile, it is natural – she’s just a happy dog and can’t contain it.

Heaven On Land & Sea

AMANDA: I see from her Instagram that Heaven loves swimming. How did you introduce that experience to her? Can you tell us about the way she plays in the water?

JACKIE: When I first got Heaven, she hated water. She wouldn’t even get her paws wet in a puddle. Giving her a bath was a wrestling match.

I wanted to make bath time easier, and as a mainly black dog, I felt bad that she would get hot and not be able to cool down in the water. So, I told her we would take it slow and work on it together.

My goal was to just get to the point so she could get her belly wet to cool her down.

There is a forest preserve nearby that is often quiet, so we’d go and walk the trails together. Near the back of the loop, a creek parallels the trail for a bit before passing under it. On this particular day, the creek had flooded and was over the trail.

Heaven stopped just shy of the water. I started walking through, expecting to have to go back and get her, but instead she followed, staying a step behind me, watching my every move.

All of a sudden she froze – as quickly as I could prepare to comfort her, a smile broke out on her face. She just stood in the water with her nose to the sky grinning from ear to ear with the sun hitting her.

To this day, it’s one of my favorite pictures. It looks like an ordinary dog picture, but that moment was a breakthrough for her. It’s like she suddenly realized that I had her back – she could do scary things, and I would be there.

In came the doggy life jacket – the extra sense of flotation seemed to be just what she needed, because the first time she wore it, she finally swam! After that, there was no stopping her – if there is water, I can’t keep Heaven out of it!

Fun Heaven swimming fact – she won’t play with any ball or toy in the water, even if other dogs are playing with them. She will only chase rocks I throw.

I had tossed a few early on, hoping to lure her out into the water and encourage her to swim, but it seems Heaven decided our special game is chasing rocks.

So, while the other dogs play together and chase after tennis balls, you will find me throwing rocks and Heaven jumping in the water after them. She’s a goof, but I sure love her!

AMANDA: That is both funny and adorable!

A Day With Heaven

AMANDA: What is daily life like with Heaven?

JACKIE: Daily life with Heaven is everything I ever hoped for in having a dog and more. Since the start of the COVID pandemic, I have been working from home. That means we are together for 24 hours just about every day, and I wouldn’t want it to be any other way.

Heaven likes to rotate through her favorite nap spots while I earn her treat money. And, of course, she crashes the occasional Zoom call.

After work, it’s “Heaven Time.” Depending on the day, we will either walk through town (Heaven has befriended a few small business owners and she likes to go check on them); go off to the forest preserve to run and swim; or get errands done (Heaven loves the car and of course dog-friendly shopping!).

AMANDA: Wonderful!

Now She Helps Mom Meet People

JACKIE: I am naturally an introvert, but because of Heaven and her persistence in meeting certain people, I have made some great friends that I probably otherwise never would have met.

You can’t help but smile when Heaven is around. She loves so deeply, and it’s so evident in how she smiles and runs to her favorite people.

Also, the love of a dog is so pure; we all have bad days and moments where we are critical of ourselves. On those days, I try to give myself some grace and see myself through Heaven’s eyes.

She sees people for who they truly are. She goes into every situation able to enjoy the little things.

Heaven is a great reminder to me every day that it’s okay to step back, take a break, and let myself enjoy our time together without the pressure we often feel to be perfect.

AMANDA: I love that.

The Rescues That Made It Happen

AMANDA: Can you tell us a little about the rescue you got Heaven from?

JACKIE: Heaven was originally from Kentucky. She was brought in to the Kentucky River Regional Animal Shelter. I do not know much about her background, but it sounds like she was a stray.

From there, Starfish Animal Rescue in the Chicago suburbs pulled her and brought her to Illinois on one of their transports. I am so thankful to everyone in Kentucky who cared for her and helped ensure she made it into rescue. I can’t imagine my life without her in it.

AMANDA: How wonderful! I love Starfish Animal Rescue, too.

Advice For Everyone: Give The Underdog A Chance!

AMANDA: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

JACKIE: People close to me have heard it before – don’t be afraid of that shelter dog who needs some TLC. Training only makes the bond between you and your dog stronger!

A good training session teaches your dog they can trust you and teaches you how to communicate with your dog.

Sure, they might look a little “rough” sitting in that cage at the shelter, but chances are that overworked and underpaid shelter staff member you just met was the first and only person to ever show that dog love.

Once a dog gets into a home and learns they are safe and loved, their personality will emerge in no time! By adopting a shelter dog, you get to change their whole world, and there is nothing more rewarding than seeing your new furry best friend grow, learn, and flourish.

And, if you need help, the rescue dog community is amazing! There are thousands and thousands of people out there who can give training advice and encouragement, and they will also share in the joy of your success!

AMANDA: That is wonderful advice, Jackie! I’ve learned so much from you and Heaven, and I know our readers will, too. Thank you so much for your time and all the joy you and Heaven give to the world!

JACKIE: You’re very welcome, and thank you for the opportunity to share our story!

Keep Up With Jackie & Heaven!

Stay tuned for Part II of Heaven’s story. Not only is she the “Cutest Home Depot Employee,” but she is also officially the “World’s Cutest Rescue Dog!” DogTime will be publishing an interview about her People magazine experience soon!

If you’d like to see more of Heaven’s adventures, please follow her on Instagram.

To learn more about Starfish Animal Rescue, including how to adopt, foster, or donate, please read our previous article about them and visit their website or Facebook page.

To learn more about Kentucky River Regional Animal Shelter, please visit their Facebook page.

What do you think of Heaven bringing joy to people at Home Depot and everywhere she goes? Would your dog enjoy going to “work” at a store with lots of friendly faces? Let us know in the comments below!

Heaven Is A Dog: Meet Home Depot’s Cutest ‘Employee’ & Her Mom, Jackie!