Lucy Lou

Eight years ago, our daughters watched in horror as our four year old Alaskan Malamute, Oreo, was hit by a car.  Gab was in shock, Bec cried for days and Debbie refused to drive by that spot for years.  I was ready to get a new dog right away.  I am not sure why, but maybe because I grew up with two dogs (a Norwegian Elkhound, Holly, and a German Shepherd, Tippy).  Bec looked up at me and asked through her tearstained faced, “How could you have another dog after going through this before?”  It broke my heart, as Oreo was very much a part of our family.  When we first decided to get a dog, we researched options as a family, visiting pet shops and breeders.  Part of the deal in getting a dog was that the girls had to be responsible to take care of the dog, otherwise it would end up being my pet.  The girls agreed, and did take care of Oreo, and Oreo was a constant companion to Debbie in both the house and when they went out.

The Pros and Cons of Dog Ownership:

• Pro – teaches responsibility for our children (they must commit to helping)
• Con – having a dog takes up your free time
• Pro – unconditional love
• Con – they are dependent on you
• Pro – they greet you at the door when you come home long after your children stop doing so
• Con – you cannot just go away for a weekend, until you find a someone / a place to watch your dog
• Pro – they are by your side through the good time and the bad times
• Pro – they make you feel good
• Pro / Con – you become emotionally invested in your dog

Five years ago, my Mother-in-law had a Pug, Irving, and was at the doggie park when she met a woman that fostered dogs.  At that point, I had already started looking to adopt a dog and was looking online (petfinder.com) every few days.  The rest of my family was also beginning to feel that it was time to have a new dog.  My mother-in-law called that a foster mom had a cute dog with her and we should come and meet them.  We went and met the dog – a mutt.  This dog had been abandoned and abused before being found in a muddy pen in the south and brought north to find a forever family.  We fell in love with this cute, funny and happy looking dog.  After filling out some paperwork, there was a home visit / interview to make sure there really was a match.  Lucy Lou came to our home for a visit and has stayed here ever since then.  That was five years ago this upcoming week, a great addition to the family, and, in the words of Gab and Bec, “she is perfect!”