FundyNutter

We went to a shelter yesterday to meet some nice dogs. We saw their pictures and profiles at adoptadog.com. It was a very modern romance. We showed up, said in nervous, halting voices that we were freshman in the animal world, no experience and with scared kids. But we thought we’d like to meet a doggy called Chicklet who we saw on the internet.

A nice lady with a bit of Sarah Palin about her (cute glasses, pretty smile, persuausive way) said: “Before you go in the big dog room, you really need to see our puppies.” And then she led us gently to the back room where a sweet little mutt of a girl was caring for the sweetest fuzziest two week old puppies you have ever seen.

Needless to say, we were sold. They fit in your hands. They made little cheeping noises like baby birds. They need a month more with their mommy so it gives us some time to get doggy prepped.

The momma doggy is half pug and half rat terrier. So she had some pug features but long legs and a pointier nose. She was about two feet long and a foot and a half tall. The daddy is a chihuahua.

We picked a sweet little boy from the litter. He was the mellowest and the biggest with soft long fur (well, you know, long for a chihuaua/pug/rat terrier.) His fur is dark brown and his nose is nice and flat and puggy and black. He is and exceptionally pretty little mutt. (Just like my own kids.)

Well, after falling in love they offered to let us meet Chicklet. Which we did because we promised the kids we could see lots of dogs.

Chicklet was one of the two dogs in the kennels who wasn’t barking her head off at our entrance. She was nosing the gate and dancing with hope she could get out. They must not have heard that we have barely even touched dogs in our life, so they put a rope lead on her and let us take her outside. Well, first off she piddled with excitement in the kennel. Then she piddled with excitement in the front room (spraying us all.) That put into perspective the “hard work” of training the puppy. Clearly this 6 month old puppy would have plenty of training ahead of her as well.

Now comes the trouble. Chicklet is just a puppy, and a very pretty dalmation/lab mix. She is a smiler with an amazing cheerful personality, so good and sweet. She got off her lead (who can blame her?) but came when I called her and let me put it back on. But she was chock full of energy and would require a ton of regular exercise and well as training. When we came back a shelter worker worked with her on some training while we visted about dogs in general with the staff. Chicklet was so sweet and seemed so much like she wanted to please.

When we brought her back we found Sarah Palin talking to the carpenter from This Old House. He was very nice. And for every single word of praise Plain had had for her puppies the Carpenter had ten for Chicklet. He thought that there was not a better doggy for our girls in the world than Chicklet and any family without a lab was a sorry excuse for a family. He was ridiculously persuasive. We had a very hard time making up our mind.

And for once the promise of instant gratification made us make a wise decision. The wee puppies need a month more with their mommy. But Chicklet would be graciously put in our car and sent home with us today for half the cost of the puppy. Wow. But. In all of our combined lives we have never had a dog. We were not ready to come home with an energetic puppy who needs training RIGHT NOW. So we put our names down for the fat soft puppy who will live inside with us lazy girls and be our little love or our Dear Little Friend, so to speak. We think we will call him Trumpkin.

When I asked which baby would be harder to find a home for they assured me that both the puppies and Chicklet would get homes quickly and that we should choose the dog we wanted and not worry about that. They said none of their dogs were in danger (except the schnauzer who bites everyone who comes close enough and was in isolation.)

So as a final note I highly recommend the Long View Animal shelter for it’s kind, informative staff and its wonderful sweet doggies who are waiting for adoption. Please, if you go there, don’t mention the references to Sarah Palin or the carpenter. I have no idea where their politics or entertainment lie, and as I only meant the comparisons in the nicest of ways I would hate to be insulting.