Mocha came into my life in March 2020 — right before the world hit pause. She was a tiny, three-month-old puff of attitude and energy who looked at me like, “Sis, you’ve been waiting on me.”
And she was right. At that time, I was fighting anxiety, burnout, and that quiet kind of loneliness that settled in when everything stopped moving. I didn’t know I needed her — but God did.
Today, my six-year-old Pomeranian (who has a personality big enough to fill a room) is my travel buddy, my muse, and most days, my peace in motion. She’s my heartbeat in fur form and my daily reminder that love doesn’t always speak our language.
When God Sends You A Dog
Sometimes, God’s love doesn’t show up in a sermon or a sign. Sometimes it shows up with fur, four paws, and a habit of stealing your slippers, hair ties, and favorite bra.
Let’s be clear — while I didn’t birth Mocha, I did become her mother.
Mocha reawakened something in me — that soft, nurturing part I’d buried under deadlines, stress, and “strong Black woman” survival mode. She reminded me that being a caretaker doesn’t just belong to mothers of children — it belongs to every woman who loves deeply, protects fiercely, and creates home wherever she goes.
For too long, the world has tried to tell us what love is supposed to look like, but as Black women and women of color, we’ve always known better.
Motherhood wears many crowns— whether it’s to a child, a pet, a dream, or a purpose. It’s less about DNA and more about devotion. It’s in the way we nurture, how we pour love into what’s ours, and how we build family even when the world tries to tell us what it should look like. We build family from the soul up!
To some, a pet is just an animal. But for pet moms, they’re our babies.
The Healing Benefits Of Having A Companion
It takes a village to raise a pup — and a community to affirm that the love we pour into our animals is valid, worthy, and deeply human. That’s what drew me to Black Women Love Dogs, a digital sisterhood founded by entrepreneur Christina Davis to celebrate and connect women who love their pets like family.
When I spoke with Christina, her spirit radiated purpose and peace.
“Although she was rescued,” Christina said of her dog, Kanna, “She’s the one who gives me security — emotionally and physically. I may care for her well-being, but she cares for me in ways I can’t fully describe.”
Her words hit home. Mocha has shown me that love doesn’t have to be earned and peace doesn’t have to be chased. Sometimes it curls up right next to you — wagging tail, side-eye, soft sigh, and all. Through loss, transition, heartbreak, and rebirth, they become emotional anchors that hold space for our joy and our healing.
“Praying while Kanna lies across my lap with tears in my eyes — that’s true love,” Christina said softly. “She’s my emotional warrior in this journey called life.”
Through her platform, Christina is redefining what pet parenthood looks like for Black women. Not as a luxury or a hobby, but as a radical act of self-love, softness, and community care.
Being Intentional With Your Fur Baby
Another woman redefining what it means to care with intention is Corey Garner, founder of Corey Cutss, LLC — a luxury dog grooming and daycare haven in Newark, New Jersey.
“Working with pets has been good for my soul. They teach me to live softer, slower, and more intentionally,” Corey explained, noting she is mindful about caring for dogs— including her own. “My Yorkie is 13 and still acts like a puppy. I truly believe the time I’ve spent pouring into her allows her to flourish and live her best life.”
We live in a world that keeps demanding more — more hustle, more healing, more proof — yet our pets remind us to pause. To breathe. To find holiness in the ordinary. When I slow down and truly sit with Mocha— no phone, no scrolling, no distractions — I feel something sacred. I feel seen, present, and whole.
“Dogs can sense when you’re really present,” Corey revealed. “They love it when you let them lead and explore. It reminds me to slow down and absorb the beauty that’s right in front of me.”
When Corey was moving through heartbreak, one of her client’s dogs became an unexpected source of peace.
“I was going through so much,” she recalled. “And one of my daycare pups helped me find my smile again. In that moment, I knew exactly why God placed that dog in my path — it shifted my pain into gratitude.”
An Experience That Teaches You Love, Patience, And Healing
When I look at Mocha, I see God’s creativity in motion — the way He wrapped comfort, comedy, and loyalty into one tiny, dramatic little body. She’s taught me more about patience, gentleness, and presence than any self-help book or Sunday sermon ever could.
Yes, I’m that dog mom — the one with matching outfits, birthday photos, and a treat jar that stays stocked. And I’m unapologetic about it. Because joy — especially for us Black/Brown women — is a form of resistance. It’s how we heal, how we honor God, and how we reclaim softness in a world that too often demands our strength.
This love isn’t small. It isn’t silly. It’s sacred. It’s spiritual. It’s deeply human. And if you’ve ever looked into the eyes of your pet and felt something holy stir inside you — then Sis, you already know. You know what it means to be loved in a language beyond words.
