For a few years now I have wanted to get a puppy. Our golden retriever Fearless is getting older and I thought it would be good for him to have a companion. And I thought it would be good for a puppy to have an older, well-trained dog to learn from. My husband Chuck, however, did not agree. He said after we lost Fearless, we should not get another dog.
I understood his reasoning. Dogs can be a hassle. They have to be fed, walked, bathed, brushed and most difficult, you have to find someone if you are going away from home for a day or two. But I didn’t agree with his reasoning. I didn’t argue about it, because thankfully we still had Fearless. I wasn’t going to fight the dog versus no dog battle until the sad day that Fearless was no more.
Fortunately Chuck had a change of heart. Fearless is still with us—10 years old now and apparently going deaf—and I am writing this Unorganized Territory while sitting on the bottom step of our deck watching a roly-poly puppy cavort around the yard.
I am questioning my sanity now. My life is crazy enough with my fulltime plus job, volunteer activities and grandmother duties. I really didn’t need to add a puppy to the mix. However, we have been jealously watching our son Ben and his family revel in their new dog, Damage, an Australian cattle dog, or blue heeler. Loyal readers may recall the misadventure daughter-in-law Michele and I undertook to pick up that adorable fellow in December. It’s been fun seeing him change from cuddly pup to the gangly almost-grown stage.
Damage must have laid the groundwork for the idea of another dog in the house. Our other daughterin law Sara sent us photos of a rescue puppy that she thought we “just had to have.” The puppies were from a litter of seven, born in an animal shelter to a beautiful Australian-cattledog and- border- collie mix mother, Jasmine. All of the puppies had names of Aladdin characters— Aladdin, Genie, Sultan, Iago, Jafar, Raja and Abu. Sara and Gideon and family were applying for Raja.
Sara suggested that we adopt Abu. I popped open the photo and saw the sweet little face and showed it to Chuck. He said go ahead and apply. Shocked and delighted, I filled out the form immediately, before he changed his mind.
Never mind that Rescue Warriors, the people who were fostering the puppy, were in Illinois! Sara’s family lives near Chicago and she was planning a trip down to visit anyway. So a 545-mile trip to get a puppy didn’t seem unreasonable for her.
We nervously awaited word of whether we would be acceptable puppy parents or not and made travel plans. At one point, Gideon thought he would not be able to go and suggested we go without him. Recalling the disastrous trip to Missouri with Michele to get Damage, Sara and I said a resounding no.
We finally got the go ahead from Rescue Warriors and headed down to Elgin, Illinois to pick up our new family member. The trip was uneventful— well, as uneventful as a trip with four adults and three little girls in one vehicle can be—and we met Abu and Raja and got to bring them home.
It has been frenzied. I really should not have added a yet-to-be-housebroken puppy to my hectic life. I knew I was asking for trouble. Sara and Gideon too, are far too busy and didn’t need to add more chaos to their lives, which are perhaps even more hectic than mine.
Our craziness is reflected in the names we selected. The puppies were small enough that they did not have to keep their Aladdin names, so we decided to rename Abu. Her name? Trouble.
Likewise, Gideon and Sara, in recognition of their busy lives as daycare provider and mechanic/ ambulance member, parents and volunteers, decided to rename their little Raja. He is now Khaos. Spelled with a “k” so he can be “K” for short.
Although I am tired from getting up early and staying up late to take a squirming puppy outside and walk her around and around and around until she does her business, it really isn’t too much trouble.
If it were not for our new family member, I wouldn’t be sitting on the steps in the sunshine this beautiful morning. I wouldn’t have cold, wet feet from walking barefoot in the grass with our little girl. I wouldn’t have seen Trouble attacking dandelions or finding her first stick. I wouldn’t have walked down the driveway last night to see the brilliant stars overhead or heard the whipporwhill in a tree nearby. I wouldn’t have had the joy of puppy breath kisses.
I think it’s a good time to get a puppy after all. She is worth the trouble.
There is no psychiatrist
in the world like a puppy
licking your face.
Ben Williams
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