Jacob never shrinks from a challenge. So when the combat soldier came upon an abandoned dog he felt compelled to save her life.

Always ready

Jacob and his wife Alissa live in a quiet hamlet on the outskirts of Fort Drum, home of the 10th Mountain Division Light. It is legendary for its preparation of combat-ready, rapid deployment soldiers. It is nicknamed The Mountaineers and its motto Climb to Glory.

Jacob’s military occupational specialty, or MOS, is 11B infantry soldier. These highly skilled professionals fulfill a wide range of combat-related responsibilities.

“I entered in at 25 years old and I’ve done multiple different roles,” he shares, “from rifleman and machine gunner, to reconnaissance scout.”

The young soldier has been dispatched to many corners of the world that most people do not even know exist. One memorable assignment was a training mission to the Bulgarian Rhodope mountain range.

“During this training mission—after a long day of rucking up mountains—we had a challenge between the Bulgarian troops and our scouts,” Jacob says, “to see who could balance upside down atop a large anthill the longest.”

Alas, the Bulgarians won. But the experience has stayed with Jacob ever since.

Currently the young soldier on deployment in Syria.

It’s a dog’s life

When he is stateside Jacob enjoys a range of vigorous pursuits.

“My hobbies include running, fishing, off-roading, skiing, and hiking,” he shares.

But perhaps Jacob’s greatest joys in life are his family. He and his wife Alissa share their lives with no less than four dogs—Zulu, Nyx, and Roxy—and newly adopted Cider.

“My wife and I always have had pet dogs in our life, even before the Army,” he explains. “It has been a large part of our lives spoiling them and taking them with us on new adventures.”

One day while driving in upstate New York the couple came upon a large dog abandoned along the side of the road. It was only a few weeks prior that they adopted Roxy, their third dog, and had no plans for a fourth.

Still, something about this roadside dog touched Jacob’s heart.

The Army veteran took the dog into his car and out of harm’s way. He planned to bring her home and contact the local animal shelter in case her family was looking for her.

And it was during this drive that the honey-coated dog got her name.

“On the way home I was eating apple cider doughnuts, and decided to name her Cider because her coat was identical to the doughnuts’ color,” he shares. “We then notified the local shelter and planned on adopting her if her previous owners never came and claimed her.”

Ready for adventure

Cider was brought to Jefferson County SPCA by local animal control. Despite being on the thin side she was otherwise healthy. After the stray hold—a waiting period to see if anyone claimed her—was up, she would be available for adoption.

Jefferson County SPCA offers $100 adoption fees to veterans who adopt eligible dogs and cats through our partnership. Cider, named Charlemagne during her short shelter stay, was a young yet fairly large dog.

So in the waning days of summer in 2023 the long-legged beauty and once abandoned dog joined Jacob’s pack of pups.

Cider’s rescue was not only lifesaving, but it turns out excellent timing. She is the perfect match for Roxy, the couple’s very active Siberian Husky.

Both dogs make great running and joring partners for Jacob. Joring is an activity in which a dog pulls a person who is on a bicycle, skateboard, or other personal conveyance.

Cider is up for nearly all Jacob’s favorite adventures. She likes to ride along in his UTV, as long as he drives slowly because she otherwise gets carsick. And she loves running with him, exploring new trails near their home.

However, the abandoned dog’s newfound life was not without some bumps in the road.

“Cider has severe separation anxiety, and at first was aggressive towards our other dogs,” Jacob shares. “We had to closely monitor her when ever she was with our other dogs for many months before she got accustomed to everything.”

In addition to her separation anxiety, Cider still shows some aggressive behavior on occasion. As a result she does not get free roam of the house when Jacob and Alissa are not at home.

Never surrender

Despite being deployed halfway around the world Jacob finds ways to stay involved in his dogs’ lives. That includes making sure that Cider has no unmet needs—or wants.

“Even though I’m on deployment,” he says, “I send her new soccer balls, toys, and beds.”

Jacob and his wife offer a lessen in perseverance. They never gave up on Cider when times were rough. It would have been understandable if they decided that four dogs was one too many. If they did not have the stamina to help Cider with her anxieties. Or even that occasional moments of aggression were not acceptable.

But they did none of those things. Jacob and Alissa embraced Cider for the good, the not so good, and everything in between. With training, patience, and lots of love, Cider found her place in their pack. It is safe to say that she will never be abandoned again.