Jaime Rivera’s deep affection for his Alaskan Klee Kai dog, Kaitou, extends from the love in his heart to the ink on his shoulder. Rivera’s profound devotion to his pup led him to boldly strike Kaitou’s divine wolf-like stature across his left shoulder.

For Rivera, a senior finance major, Kaitou couldn’t have come into his life at a better time. As his parents were in the early stages of a divorce and his family began to fall into shambles, Rivera decided a friendly, furry face would be a welcome addition.

“When I was going into my senior year of high school, my parents were divorcing. Everyone has their problems during these types of times,” Rivera said. “As I was working out my own, I got the dog and it turned everything around. In a time of need, Kaitou put a smile on everyone’s face and eased tension during the rough spots.”

Rivera takes pride in his acquisition of Kaitou, and considers it a momentous occasion in his young adulthood. Having saved up the money on his own, Rivera defied his father, who was opposed to a dog in the household. Rivera flew the puppy from a Colorado breeder to his house in the Bronx, N.Y.

After owning the dog for a few more years, Rivera decided to honor his love for his dog by having Kaitou’s bust tattooed on his left shoulder blade. Wanting something resembling the elegance and power the dog’s wolf-like stature represents, Rivera selected a wolf tattoo design, but substituted the image of the wolf with a picture of Kaitou.

“I went to a shop in Long Island that one of my dad’s partners owned,” Rivera said. “He did the sketch in pencil and then placed it next to the tribal logo. He wanted me to come back for more detail, but I ended up liking the pencil-like drawing. Overall, the appearance of the tattoo is cute, but powerful.”

In reality, Kaitou’s stature is surprisingly similar to that of a wolf, but he is a big dog in a little package — the Alaskan Klee Kai was created to have the elegant appearance of a Siberian Husky with the small size of a terrier.

Though Rivera’s parents ultimately separated, he remembers the time as a definitive moment in his adulthood, a standout memory that carries not the burden of a trying divorce, but a blossoming friendship between a man and his best friend.

Published on March 25, 2013 at 11:37 pm

Contact Ian: imfeiner@syr.edu