I wasn’t always a dog lover. Anyone who knows me now will find that hard to believe. Growing up, all we had was a cat. Now I didn’t dislike dogs, I just didn’t like walking into someone’s home and being jumped on, having my legs clawed up and getting showered in slobber. Plus there’s the fact that I’m allergic to them.
When I married my husband he wanted a dog. I told him no way. I had lots of excuses: my allergies, the jumping, not enough room, the slobber. So for years we just had cats.
Back when I was working, one weekend we were setting up a booth at the Wichita Women’s Fair. It just happened to be a weekend there was a massive blizzard. My dear hubby was helping trek loads of clothes from my store to this convention in 2 foot drifts.
It was absolutely miserable.
After it was over and we thawed out, I told him the next day we could do whatever he wanted. And of course, he wanted to go look at puppies. Ugh! But how could I say no after what he just helped me do.
So I said “Fine, but we are just looking”. It seemed he had done some research and found out which dogs were hypo-allergenic, so that is what he took me to see. We went to the breeder’s house the next day, and the room he brought us in was wall-to-wall puppies. One adorable face after another. Maltese, shi tzus, malti-poos, bichon-poos. Lots of fuzzy little babies. Of course the breeder sticks them right in our arms and my defenses are weakening. I’m actually thinking about taking one home. This is not at all what I was planning.
My daughter found this little apricot bichon-poo, and she fell instantly in love. It was crawling all over her, and my hubby. It was hopping all over the floor. My husband is pleading his case: we just bought a new house with a big yard; it’s good for kids to have a dog; I have always had cats so why couldn’t he have a dog. Dang it!
So next thing I know, we are dog owners. How did this happen? I didn’t want a dog.
We went out and spent a fortune on dog supplies. That night we stuck her in her kennel and went to bed. Ten minutes later all hell broke loose. Gracie (that’s what we named her) was screaming bloody murder. I jump up thinking she must have ripped off her arm … or worse.
In a panic, I pull the blanket off the kennel, and there she sits, wagging her cute little tail. What was that? She’s not bleeding, her paw isn’t caught in the kennel door.
Then my hubby informs me that they just do this the first week or so because they don’t like being separated from their litter mates or you. Are you kidding me? He failed to mention this when he was pleading his case.
So needless to say we got ZERO sleep for three days. After that she was fine. Thank God!
Well Gracie started out as all of ours but she has turned out to be mine. She follows me everywhere. I can’t even go to the bathroom by myself! She is such a great dog though. Yes, she hates all other dogs but she loves all people.
She is now seven years old and if anything ever happened to her you would have to lock me away forever.
Now looking back I would never again get a dog from a breeder. Back then I didn’t know any better. I now volunteer at my local humane society, and there are so many dogs there that need homes, why would you intentionally bring anymore into the world?
So needless to say I am now a converted dog lover. I think until you have your own dog, you can’t truly understand how fantastic dogs can be. The unconditional love they give you can change your life. Someday I will have to go over some of the crazy stories about my dogs.
Tessa says
I love your story about Gracie. I never was much of a dog or a cat lover. We had a dog growing up, but it was my older brother’s dog, he took care of her and she was always by him, so it never felt like we had a dog. I got my mini daschund from a breeder on impulse because my ex husband was looking online at some. I fell in love with her instantly. And I never thought I would own a cat. Ever. I had no idea why people ever had them. They didn’t do anything, they didn’t play catch, they didn’t do tricks, and cleaning up kitty litter did not sound fun. Then my husband took me to the humane society, we walked into a room with cats, and immediately a cat crawled on my shoulder, slowly down my neck and chest, ignoring he was covering my face and totally invading my ‘bubble’, until I held up my arms and let him lay down, all the while purring incessantly. And I was done… he came home with us that day.
I love that you’re such an animal lover. It makes me feel so much less weird!
This pink table is super cute. I would never think to paint something pink, but it totally works!