Dogs Are Our Favorite Humans

For nearly 30 years of marriage, Gabriele Sessions, REALTOR®, GRI, and her husband, Greg, have shared a love of dogs and routinely adopt from local rescue organizations. Below, Gabi and Greg began to reveal how they evolved as pet lovers and what they’ve learned to enhance their pets’ overall health, including home-cooked meals, proper socialization, and mental stimulation to support a thriving lifestyle for their canine companions.

As local realtors, Gabi and Greg understand that a home includes more than four walls. It may also include special accommodations, pet-friendly neighborhoods, a secure, fenced yard, and a Florida lifestyle built around all family members, including the four-legged fur-baby variety. Hope you enjoy the content, check back often for more updates, and consider sharing your contact information so we can provide more thoughtful real estate strategies for pet-loving families.

The Beginning of Our Journey

I grew up with dogs; however, Gabi and I began our journey together as dog parents long before we were married.

At the time, I had just launched a publishing and advertising business, and Gabi worked in sales elsewhere. One day, a young man from her office brought a 40-lb., 5-month-old puppy to work. His apartment didn’t allow pets, and the man was attempting to move elsewhere. In the interim, the dog was being passed from friend to friend, and that evening after work, the young man tied the puppy to a tree outside the office while he went out with friends.

That night, severe thunderstorms rolled through. As I was leaving Gabi’s place to head home, she insisted we check on the dog. When we arrived, rain was pouring, lightning was flashing, and the wind was howling. The dog was still tied to the tree, huddled under a large elephant leaf, soaked and terrified. I opened the car door, untied him, and he jumped in immediately.

We brought the dog back to Gabi’s after stopping for food, bowls, and a toy. He was so hungry that night he ate most of the food I bought meant to last several days. The next day, we noticed how neglected he looked—fleas, irritated skin, and visible ribs. We took him to the vet promptly for vaccinations, deworming, a bath, flea treatment, and much-needed care. After spending more than $500 and having a serious talk with the previous owner, he agreed the dog had officially become ours. We named him Max.

Max was full of energy and personality. He loved to run, play, and wrestle. After Gabi and I were married, the three of us became a family. From early on, I could walk Max off-leash. He rarely left my side, even sleeping in his crib on the floor on my side of the bed. Max was intelligent, intuitive, loving, and fiercely protective of Gabi. If someone approached them while they were out walking, Max made his presence known.

Max went everywhere with us—to the office, on vacations, and through all the milestones of our lives. Soon, we adopted his sister, another rescue we named Missy. Together, Max and Missy brought us years of joy.

Sadly, Max later developed kidney problems, which we believe may have been linked to contaminated commercial treats. Although it could never be proven, many dogs at the time experienced serious kidney issues from tainted commercial pet foods and treats. Max eventually needed dialysis, and that experience opened our eyes to the pet food industry.

Through research and trial and error, we learned the importance of preparing nutritious, home-cooked meals for our dogs—free of unnecessary preservatives and harmful ingredients. Over the years, we have refined that process to help our animals thrive. We'll be sharing this and other information here on this blog.

Please check back for more memories of Max and Missy, along with updates on our two current dogs. Once more, I’ll also be sharing the food strategies, recipes, and exercise routines we use to keep our pets happy, healthy, and living fulfilled lives.