I have always wanted a dog, but my mother was the crazy person who put in white carpet. Her vision wasn't that great when I was growing up, but she could see a speck on the carpet from 50 feet away. Her obsession with the carpet was so extreme that my father used to joke that if she ever went into cardiac arrest, someone need only yell, "What's that on the carpet?", and she would come right back to us. So, needless to say, my childhood was pet-free (save for a beta fish that lived about 2 weeks).
In college, Eddie and I adopted a cat. She was the sweetest kitty I've ever met; she absolutely loved people and attention. She would come greet us at the door, cuddle on our laps, and get very jealous when Eddie and I would hug, because we weren't paying attention to her. In fact, some of my friends even referred to her as a "dog cat." But, she HATED other animals, making the prospect of a canine brother or sister impossible. So, Eddie and I always thought we would get a dog when she was no longer with us. When we finally had to put her down in 2016, I was so shattered from the experience that I couldn't fathom signing up for that eventual heartbreak again.
We discussed it on an off for a long time - we even knew what we wanted to get: a Bernese Mountain Dog. They were big, fluffy, and lazy. Since Eddie and I both worked and were gone long hours, we wanted a dog that would just lay about while we were gone - one that didn't need marathon walks in order to behave. And, because the weather tended to be shitty at least half the year in DC, we figured the lazier the better.
But then we moved back to California, and I did so without a job. Now I am living somewhere that's usually somewhere around 60 degrees all year long, and I have nothing but time on my hands. Suddenly, a very expensive dog that doesn't want to be active isn't so appealing. Plus, I have always had some guilt about the idea of buying a dog - no judgement, I was just always a bit conflicted. So, I started poking around websites for local rescues and found one that was walking distance from our apartment: Pets in Need.
After a false start with an adorable shepherd mix the shelter wouldn't let us have (our building has breed restrictions, and she was clearly a mix of two of them), we found Reese. He's adorable. affectionate, trainable, and super charming. But, he is SO.MUCH.WORK. I knew puppies were hard - I knew they needed lots of exercise, stimulation, and to be let out to pee many MANY times a day. But, I had no concept of how hard it was going to be.
Right now he's very attached to us - and me (the one who gives the food) in particular. He follows me everywhere in our open floor plan. If I am in the kitchen, he is in the kitchen. If I am in the living room, he's in the living room. Never mind that there aren't any walls between the two. He just needs to be close. In fact, for the first time since I was potty trained, I am allowing someone to sit and watch me pee. If I don't, he just whines and gets very distressed.
We're all getting used to this new arrangement, and I am coming to grips with the fact that my home smells like dog (he's getting groomed as soon as we're done with the vaccines, and I am buying stock in Febreeze). But, even with all the work, frustration, and exhaustion, I can't imagine not having this sweet pupper in our lives. 💖
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