Sunny was born in Kandıra, a district of Kocaeli, to the watchdog at our wind power plant. I adopted him after choosing him from among the litter. At the time, I wrote a piece about Sunny. For more detail, you can read it here. I’d like to revisit an excerpt that describes our first meeting:
Our wind farm’s Rottweiler-mix dog, Zeina, got pregnant. I decided to wait. After she gave birth, there were seven puppies. One didn’t survive. I started talking with the team on site about possibly adopting one of the six remaining. But they were too young at the time, so I waited a bit longer. When they turned two months old, I went back to see them.
As I stepped into the space where they were kept, all the puppies rushed toward me—some jumping, some sniffing, others rubbing against me. Only one white mixed-breed puppy stood in the corner, staring timidly. I was surprised. I approached him; he was trembling. I petted him, and while the trembling stopped, he still remained shy. When he looked into my eyes as I stroked him, I knew he was the one.
I pointed him out to the team and said, “I want to adopt this one.” That same day, they prepared a cardboard box, placed Sunny inside, and we brought him back to Istanbul.
The Devilishly Charming Blackie
And so Sunny came into my life. Not long after, my mother brought Blackie from Cyprus. Here’s a quick summary of how that happened:
Cyprus is one of my mother’s favorite holiday destinations. Every couple of years, she likes to go there. During one such trip, she saw a small black dog digging through trash outside a supermarket—clearly starving and struggling to survive. She first pet the dog and gave it some food, then asked the store staff about it. They said, “Someone dropped it off two days ago. We don’t know who, but it’s clearly a pet dog. Abandoning it like this is really heartbreaking.” My mother immediately said, “Keep it here tonight. I’ll come tomorrow and take it.” She kept her word, returned with a large open-top box, picked up the dog, and took it straight to the vet.
The vet told her the dog was around 2–3 years old, possibly a crossbreed with a purebred lineage. Its small size was due to its breed, not its age. After cleaning, grooming, and vaccinating the dog, she completed the formalities for bringing it to Turkey.
Sunny’s Eternal Companion
Later, when my mother came to Istanbul, the first thing she did was show me Blackie with great pride. At first, Blackie was quiet and reserved, but then his personality exploded—mischievous, clever, endlessly entertaining. (You wouldn’t believe some of the stories!)
Initially, Sunny and Blackie didn’t get along. Sunny would always react to him. I began by having them sleep in separate spaces but where they could see each other. Once I sensed some bonding, I planned to formally introduce them—but one morning I noticed the door to Sunny’s area ajar. I walked in and found them playing together joyfully. It was a wonderful sight, and I immediately placed their beds side by side. They had become inseparable.
The photo we took was right after their first grooming together. We realized short cuts didn’t suit them, so we never cut their hair that short again. (It was only then we saw Blackie’s black fur covered white skin!) Still, this photo always brings a smile—it reflects their team spirit perfectly.
A Cautious Approach to New People
Years passed and their bond grew stronger. When I moved into a new house with a garden late last year, they became even happier. They now play outside and bask in the sun. My mother wants Blackie with her about half the year; the rest of the time, he’s with me. When he’s here, his joy and energy increase—he loves hanging out with Sunny. Blackie is hard to contain, highly intelligent, and always up to something.
Sunny, our handsome boy, is more calm, protective, and easygoing. But he’s slow to warm up to new people. So when someone new comes over, I take them outside first, then let them spend some time around him. Once he senses the person is close to me and friendly, he stops reacting and adjusts. Once he accepts them, he acts like the guest is his own human.
Balancing the Testosterone!
Still, something felt off at home. I realized it: we had turned into a testosterone zone—both dogs are male! We needed a smart, trained, female dog with leadership instincts to balance the energy and manage the pack.
From a Premier European Breeder
Thanks to the guidance of our dog trainer, Şeref Can, we located one of Europe’s top German Shepherd breeding centers in Valencia. Through Şeref Can, we made a request. These dogs are tracked back ten generations—their lineage is fully documented. These special dogs pass their intelligence, talent, and physical superiority on to the next generation and often compete in elite working and sporting competitions.
These dogs are both working and sporting dogs. Working dogs come from all over the world and are bred for tasks beyond herding—like guarding people, animals, or property, and also sledding or rescue missions. Sporting dogs perform protection work in a sport discipline. Both dog and trainer must be in peak physical and mental condition. Just as professional athletes have strict diets and training plans, Quira is now on a similar regimen. The goal? To compete internationally and eventually earn the title of national athlete.
For context: Sunny isn’t a pure breed, but his instincts make him a solid working dog. As for Blackie—well, he’s a “heart thief.” He charms everyone with his cute, playful energy. 🙂
Quira, from the Royal Gardens
As for how Quira came to Turkey—we brought her over from the center in Valencia as a puppy. When I was looking for a Spanish name, they told me her full name was Quira de Jardines del Real—which means “Quira of the Royal Gardens.” “Royal Gardens” is the kennel name given by the breeder, essentially her surname. (See this link). The name is pronounced “Kiira” in Turkish. I liked it right away and adopted it. She has the typical sable coloring of German Shepherds.
She’s currently training with Şeref Can. I visit often to build a bond. She’ll spend her first 3–4 years mainly training and competing, but will occasionally come stay with me. It’s important that she adjusts to our home environment during this time. She can roam the garden and we’ll run on the beach together using a special harness I wear at the waist.
Retirement at My Side
After 3–4 years, Quira will retire and live with me full-time. Until then, I’ll continue watching her development with care. Once she joins us permanently, her intelligence, loyalty, and athleticism will make her the heart of our household—protecting us, accompanying us during workouts, and becoming a true family pillar. Welcome to the family, Quira—we already love you so much.
Note:
When I announced Quira on social media (you can see the story above), one of my followers criticized me for buying a purebred dog and calling her “noble.” For others who might feel the same, I’m sharing our conversation below.
Conversation with a follower
Follower:
So I guess shelter dogs aren’t “noble”… Still, I wish you had adopted one of those kids with no chance instead of contributing to breeding. 🙁
Me:
I already have two dogs—Sunny and Blackie—both rescued from the street.
As for calling Quira “noble,” I had two reasons. First, she comes from a certified breeder—we can trace her back ten generations. Second, this breed can understand and respond to many human words.
Follower: I get why you called her noble and know the breed well. But while street animals are being brutally killed right now, I think someone with your influence could raise awareness in a much more meaningful way.
Me: One more street dog adopted by someone like me isn’t going to solve the problem. We need a national system in place. That’s something I hope to work on in the future.
Follower: Of course, your adopting one dog won’t solve the whole issue. But it could inspire awareness among your followers… People mimic public figures. Yes, this is a structural problem rooted in socio-economic factors, but even convincing one person to adopt rather than buy makes a difference.
Me: My social media accounts aren’t public. Everyone who follows me is already an animal lover. So I don’t see myself as having a mission to set an example.
Also, adopting two street dogs means I’ve done my personal part. Many people don’t have even one animal. Choosing a dog for specialized training is my personal decision—it doesn’t concern others. In the end, a dog’s ability to receive training is tied to its genes.
If we’re going to fix the situation in Turkey, people like me need to focus on building systems. That’s what I plan to do eventually.
Tag: memoir
