We’ve decided to adopt a puppy. This idea has been in our heads for about a year, but it comes and goes, as everyday life interferes with our search. But a few nights ago, I went on Petfinders.com. Petfinders.com is a huge Web site with just about every adoptable pet there is in your region. You put in what kind of animal you’re looking to adopt (a dog), it’s breed (Basset Hound) and your address (Southern NJ). And it brings up pages and pages of results.
We were pretty specific in what puppy we wanted. First, we wanted a puppy. Our field basset, Chloe, is four years old and we felt a puppy would be the best for bonding with her. We weren’t concerned so much about sex. My husband and I have both had male dogs, and they are a bit harder to train, but we felt with Chloe helping, we could train a male, neutered puppy just as well as we trained her. And it had to be a beagle/basset mix. That’s called a “field basset” and they don’t get along well with full-bred basset hounds, according to a basset hound breeder I spoke with. Chloe looks like a basset hound, with long droopy ears and short, disfigured legs. She’s low to the ground and howls like a basset. But she also barks like a Rottweiler, and people who come to our door are always surprised just what the dog looks like that barks so loudly. We appreciate it, because it keeps unwanted solicitors from inviting themselves into our house.
We also have two cats. Tigger is six, and was rescued from a shelter in Florida, as was my sixteen-year-old, Lucy, who was a stray on the street when I rescued her at one year of age. Lucy has been with me before I was married, or had my son, so she is my first love. She also rules the roost. It’s hysterical to watch our forty-seven pound dog cry whenever she gets within a few feet of a six pounds, sixteen-year-old de-clawed cat. All Lucy has to do is look at her, and if that doesn’t work, a hiss and a swat to Chloe’s nose does the trick. Chloe slinks away, giving Lucy a lot of space. Lucy knows she is the queen of the pets and I love that fact.
So, I found two puppies on Petfinders that met our requirements. One was in northern NJ, one in Maryland. One would be six months old when he was available for adoption in April. He’s been neutered and had his shots, and was being fostered in a home with kids and cats and gets along with everyone. But the one in Maryland really has my eye. He’s a puppy, and has almost the same markings as Chloe. There are three males to choose from, and I imagine it will be when we see them, with Chloe, that we make our decision. The problem is the application.
We are definitely owners that the shelter would like to have. We have a privacy fence around our 100 x 50 foot backyard. I am home every day, since I am a disabled RN who is trying to get a writing career off the ground. We crate trained Chloe, and will do so again, since it worked out so well. We take good care of our pets; Chloe gets heartworm and flea/tick prevention every month and sees the vet once a year. She’s a little overweight, but we’re working on that. She’s well-behaved and everyone at the veterinarian’s office loves her. So does the woman who runs the “dog hotel” where we’ve occasionally boarded her. “She doesn’t bark like the other basset hounds we get here!” the woman told me in amazement. “She’s welcome back anytime!” she said, giving Chloe a big hug before we left.
It’s like going to a parent/teacher conference and your child’s teacher telling you how much she loves having your kid in her class. It makes you proud.
