Not now, but maybe some day

 
Our puppy is away for the night... by away, I mean she's spending the night at the vet's after being spayed today. It's quiet in the house... there's a definite presence missing. 

My family had been "hounding" me (pun very much intended) for about four years to get a dog and for the four years, I said "no, the time isn't right". We had blended into a family only a few years before and I really felt that we... or maybe me more than we... needed more time to get used to living together. I didn't want a dog... they're messy and just wouldn't fit in with our... okay, my lifestyle. Beside that, I am allergic to many dogs and I was afraid that if we got a dog that I was allergic to, it'd be very difficult for Debbie and the kids to have to give it up. I wouldn't have a problem though; I didn't want a dog. I really just didn't think we were ready to bring another member into this family.

We had talked about dogs and decided that we would get a Shih Tzu or a Maltese if we were to get one... and that was a HUGE if. I just didn't want one. Both breeds are hypo-allergenic which would probably alleviate the allergy thing. Hmmm... one less issue to keep me from giving in to getting a dog. My power to say "no, not yet" was waning. In September, 2008, Debbie started studying for her Master's degree which took any extra time that we had away... again, it wasn't the right time. I'd have to spend a lot of the time taking care of the dog and I didn't even want one. That bought me some more time. Twenty-two months later and two days after Debbie got home from Halifax having finished her work for her Master's, she showed me a picture of a little black Shih Tzu puppy on Kijiji  for sale. Uh-ohhh... I was backed into a corner and I'd certainly end up in the doghouse (I had to) if I didn't at least say we could check it out. We were leaving the next morning for New Jersey to visit my mom for a week... certainly this would blow over by then. I didn't want a dog!

We got home from NJ the following Sunday evening. All traces of sensibility must have left me and the next morning, all five of us (my mom was here with us for three weeks) were saddled up and taking a ride to some far into the woods place in Chipman, New Brunswick. I'll argue now that I think I was drugged into this as we were going to meet this little black Shih Tzu and her breeder. I didn't want a dog. We spent about an hour there talking to the breeder and playing with two of the puppies. When it was time to go, I said, "let's go gang... maybe we can come back and visit again some time." Well, I don't know how it happened, and I imagine another drugging took place, because the return trip had six of us in the van... the newest addition being a 4 pound black Shih Tzu puppy newly named, ZuZu.

As I said, it's quiet here... a member of the family is away for the night. No one is milling around under my feet... no one is tugging on my pant leg wanting me to play ball with her... no one is barking at me because the world isn't revolving around her at that moment and no one is pestering me that she wants to go outside. I miss her tonight... she's definitely a part of this family now. I can't wait to pick her up in the morning and bring her home. I sure hope she's not scared tonight... I'm sure she's fine. But then, you know, that I didn't want a dog!