How do you pick a dog?
My first dog was Gilly. She was my parents’ first baby and they got her as a puppy. She was brown lab and Dalmatian mix. Gilly was a sweet girl but with three young children, she was often relegated to the backyard and lived for running and hunting with my dad. The summer before 5th grade we said goodbye to Gilly. I knew that she was near the end and I remember laying on the floor in the garage with her the night before she died.
Nearly a year later my uncle showed up at Easter with a purebred Dalmatian. Her name was Bobo and a friend of my uncle was giving her up because she didn’t fit in apartment living. She came home with us and we renamed her Lacey. She was such a beautiful dog with a great personality. She was my mom’s walking partner and now with older kids in the family, she found a place in our family. We laid on the floor with her and threw the ball for her. We gave her nicknames like “Lacey-fer” and she went with us to Tahoe. We took her hiking and walking and Lacey was truly part of our family. When I moved home from college she reached the end of her life, and it was with great emotion that we said goodbye to the family pet that had filled our adolescent lives.
My mom was hesitant to get another dog, but she missed her walking partner. She spent hours researching the popular Labradoodle. Days before she sent a deposit for the designer pet, my brother and I convinced her to go meet a seven month old black lab we saw in the newspaper. The moment I met this pup I knew she was the dog. My brother and I tried to take her home that day. My mom said no. We went back a few days later with my dad. He said “let’s think about it.” Finally we went for a third time and returned home with “Little One” who we renamed Molly. I lived at home with Molly for five months before getting my condo. Ever since then we joke that I have joint custody of Molly because of how often she stays with me. Molly is the coolest dog I have ever met. She is cute. She listens. She can dock jump. She loves to swim. She runs fast. She loves to snuggle with me. She is a licker. She is a lover. She is the greatest dog and I have more pictures of her than other subject. She is Mollford, Molpheus, TaMolly, GuacaMolly.
But I am tired of sharing. I want a full time dog. I want my own licking, barking, snuggling, walking partner furball. And so for the last few years I have been dreaming of a friend for Molly that could come live with me. Finally we have a house where this dream dog can live. But how do you pick a dog?
Today I went to the Folsom PetsMart where the Central California Lab Rescue goes twice a month to show dogs for adoption. I met a brown lab mix named Chloe. She is about 45 pounds and was pretty cute. Brandon and I spent nearly an hour playing with her, walking her and trying to decide if we should take her home. In the end I didn’t know if she was my dog or not. I asked her if she wanted to come home with me and she didn’t answer. I spent the last four hours wondering if I made a big mistake by not bringing Chloe home.
Moments like this I wish (wo)man’s best friend was curled up at my feet. But I don’t know if I can pick a dog. The three great dogs in my life all picked me. So I will keep waiting for the right pup to enter in my life.
My first dog was Gilly. She was my parents’ first baby and they got her as a puppy. She was brown lab and Dalmatian mix. Gilly was a sweet girl but with three young children, she was often relegated to the backyard and lived for running and hunting with my dad. The summer before 5th grade we said goodbye to Gilly. I knew that she was near the end and I remember laying on the floor in the garage with her the night before she died.
Nearly a year later my uncle showed up at Easter with a purebred Dalmatian. Her name was Bobo and a friend of my uncle was giving her up because she didn’t fit in apartment living. She came home with us and we renamed her Lacey. She was such a beautiful dog with a great personality. She was my mom’s walking partner and now with older kids in the family, she found a place in our family. We laid on the floor with her and threw the ball for her. We gave her nicknames like “Lacey-fer” and she went with us to Tahoe. We took her hiking and walking and Lacey was truly part of our family. When I moved home from college she reached the end of her life, and it was with great emotion that we said goodbye to the family pet that had filled our adolescent lives.
My mom was hesitant to get another dog, but she missed her walking partner. She spent hours researching the popular Labradoodle. Days before she sent a deposit for the designer pet, my brother and I convinced her to go meet a seven month old black lab we saw in the newspaper. The moment I met this pup I knew she was the dog. My brother and I tried to take her home that day. My mom said no. We went back a few days later with my dad. He said “let’s think about it.” Finally we went for a third time and returned home with “Little One” who we renamed Molly. I lived at home with Molly for five months before getting my condo. Ever since then we joke that I have joint custody of Molly because of how often she stays with me. Molly is the coolest dog I have ever met. She is cute. She listens. She can dock jump. She loves to swim. She runs fast. She loves to snuggle with me. She is a licker. She is a lover. She is the greatest dog and I have more pictures of her than other subject. She is Mollford, Molpheus, TaMolly, GuacaMolly.
But I am tired of sharing. I want a full time dog. I want my own licking, barking, snuggling, walking partner furball. And so for the last few years I have been dreaming of a friend for Molly that could come live with me. Finally we have a house where this dream dog can live. But how do you pick a dog?
Today I went to the Folsom PetsMart where the Central California Lab Rescue goes twice a month to show dogs for adoption. I met a brown lab mix named Chloe. She is about 45 pounds and was pretty cute. Brandon and I spent nearly an hour playing with her, walking her and trying to decide if we should take her home. In the end I didn’t know if she was my dog or not. I asked her if she wanted to come home with me and she didn’t answer. I spent the last four hours wondering if I made a big mistake by not bringing Chloe home.
Moments like this I wish (wo)man’s best friend was curled up at my feet. But I don’t know if I can pick a dog. The three great dogs in my life all picked me. So I will keep waiting for the right pup to enter in my life.
Can you foster a dog? That way you would have a trial period :)
ReplyDelete