A Change of Magnificent Proportions

We adopted a puppy. On an ordinary Monday evening, we caved to our daughter’s relentless daily ask – Can we get a dog? This is not a new question in our house. We’ve been fielding, dodging it, passing the question back and forth for nearly three years. In fact, last summer, when she didn’t like our response she stormed off to her playroom and didn’t come out for an hour. What I found was her solution to getting a dog. She created a flyer to walk our neighbor’s dogs with a cute picture of a potential happy client, waggy tail and all.

While we praised her creativity, we ignored the flyers. We thought, this desire will pass. It did not. Again, we fielded, dodged and passed the questions back and forth until we didn’t. On an ordinary Friday evening, we helped her practice her pitch and went to our neighbor’s house. She opened their gate, walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. Our neighbor opened the door and our daughter looked at us with a little fear in her eyes and then she did it.  Our daughter recited her pitch and before she finished, she was holding Pepper’s leash and we were off with her first doggie client, waggy tail and all.

We relished in our daughter’s happiness and dedication to walking Pepper. We were surprised to see another side of her independence and drive. It was natural seeing her with a dog, skipping along the sidewalk. We enjoyed the walks too and developed a soft side for Pepper. We started asking ourselves – Should we get a dog? These walks continued weekly for a few weeks until our schedules got the best of us. Her dog walking skills soon turned into kitty sitting skills which she continues to enjoy.

Selfishly, I am not sure I really wanted dog. Our daily routine has been consistent, simple, functional and without issue. Why in the world would I want to create another to do and disrupt our schedule, our daily flow?

We only went to Paws twice. Once on a Friday evening and the second time on a Monday evening. According to Paws, the weekend is the most popular time to adopt an animal. Truthfully, we would of had a dog on our first visit had it not been a Friday and if it wasn’t for an elderly couple who adopted sweet, six year old Georgia before we could tell anyone we wanted her.

On the way home, I teared up. We all felt a bit sad that we didn’t get to bring Georgia home. Despite my emotions, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience even though it didn’t work out. Seeing my daughter with a dog lit up the room and opened my heart. It was sweet to realize, as a family, that we all really wanted a dog. I didn’t expect it would happen so soon and I don’t think we were fully prepared for the immediate tug on our heart strings. Yet, it  happened a few weeks later on an ordinary Monday evening.

There is a steep learning curve to having puppy and we are still adjusting to our new family member. There have been ups and downs and we are all eager for the training to begin. Our lives have been forever changed by this four legged cutie. And I am grateful. I don’t know what the future holds and our schedule has certainly shifted. I think for the better. Welcome home, Magnus The Great.