PRESS ESC TO CLOSE
 

Derek Jeter Opens Up About His Life With His Dog Kane

Share

Just because Derek Jeter stopped playing baseball, doesn’t mean he isn’t working.

The former Yankees player just took to the web to let fans know what retirement life is all about — and it is has everything to do with an Italian mastiff named Kane.

Taking to The Players Tribune, a sports startup founded by Jeter,  the future Hall of Famer opened up about what it is like to raise a puppy.

Jeter received the dog as a gift from his fiancé  Hannah Davis  (yes, he nonchalantly slipped in the fact he was engaged into the puppy post) last January. While Davis has been surrounded by dogs her entire life, in particular mastiffs, Jeter never was raised with pups. In fact, he was petrified of dogs.

Related: Tennis Player Andy Murray Digs Skyping With His Dogs

Remember that movie? The one about the killer dog? I watched it when I was young and, man, it terrified me. After that movie, I was not messing with dogs at all. Big dogs, medium dogs, little dogs — it didn’t matter. I saw them all as threats. I just wasn’t comfortable around animals. My family didn’t have pets when I was growing up and neither did my friends. During my playing career, I was on the road too often for the idea of owning a dog ever to be realistic. So all I had was my imagination — and when I thought of a dog, all I could think about was being attacked by a St. Bernard.

So, when Kane came into his life, it wasn’t exactly an easy transition. Jeter talks about how his anxiety coupled with Kane’s energetic puppy personality made for a nervous dog. “My panicking was probably making him panic,” he writes. But with Kane’s one-year birthday approaching, the two have gotten to know each other better and both have become more relaxed around each other — but there is still much to learn.

“Being a ‘dog owner’ is still new to me,” he writes. “A little challenge is probably good. I guess it’s possible to learn new tricks.”

By Andrea Huspeni

Andrea Huspeni is the founder and CEO of This Dog's Life. Her mission it to help dogs live a happier, healthier and longer life. When she isn't working, she spends time with her two dogs, Lola and Milo. She resides in Brooklyn, NY.

All You Need

Shop now
Loading component ...
What My Dog, My Zen Master, Taught Me About Life After My Mom's Passing

What My Dog, My Zen Master, Taught Me About Life After My Mom's Passing

Some of the Most Popular Valentine’s Day Flowers are Toxic to Dogs. Do you Know Which Ones to Avoid?

Some of the Most Popular Valentine’s Day Flowers are Toxic to Dogs. Do you Know Which Ones to Avoid?

What’s Going on With Your Senior Dog: Is it Behavioral or Medical?

What’s Going on With Your Senior Dog: Is it Behavioral or Medical?

The 6 Winter Skin Miracles Your Dog Needs

The 6 Winter Skin Miracles Your Dog Needs