texchan | Biggest Mistake Ever ... ?? (Reply)

Or will it turn out to be the best thing I've ever done? Hmmm ... not sure yet, so I'll have to see how things play out.

But (!!) I got a puppy today. (Technically yesterday -- Saturday -- as I'm writing this at about 4 AM, after having let the little guy ... and Fae ... out for their nighttime potty break.)

I finally broke down and faced the fact that I really and truly wanted another Springer Spaniel. I thought I couldn't open my heart to another one after Tex died. I loved him so much and missed him so badly that it was really painful. Probably the worst dog death that I've lived through, to date. And so I thought things would be fine with Fae. I decided to do rescue because it was the responsible and right thing to do ... and because I figured it didn't really matter what kind of dog we got, so long as he or she was a good and loving pet. Fae is all of those things. And I love her. I really, really do love her. She's a great dog, but, the longer I had her, the more I realized that she wasn't enough. Fae is very much a hound. She is hard-headed and inquisitive (sometimes to her detriment) and super independent. She likes to know we're around, so she'll come and check in from time to time. But, mostly, she's happy to be off on her own doing ... whatever. She is not a dog that I can trust on her own in the house, so I typically keep her with me all day long. But I have to do so by closing off the child gates on the stairs, thus confining her to whatever floor I happen to be on. It makes me feel like I'm forcing her to be with me. In a way, I am. Given her choice, I know Fae wouldn't stay that close to me. Or to anyone. Independent -- it's the perfect word for it.

But what I really and truly missed was the working / sporting dog personality. The kind of dog that wanted to be with you all the time. That would sit on your feet or lay next to you while you were watching TV. That would actually want to go outside and walk with you. That would follow you from room to room and plop down wherever you happened to be at the moment. I wanted Fae to be like this ... and, really, that was wrong of me. Because she's just not that kind of dog.

After a lot of crying about it -- and a lot of feeling really unsatisfied and discontent -- my hubby finally told me today that I should just get another dog. I should just get the springer spaniel I've wanted for the past three years and be done with it. Because I wasn't being fair to myself or to Fae.

And so ... I did. O.O I still can't believe I did this. We all went out to a breeder's today and, luckily, just totally clicked with the last puppy she had available from her July litter. He is a dream. An absolute dream. He's about 9 weeks old ... black and white ... and has that amazing, "big" personality that I love in a dog. I'm crazy, head-over-heels for him -- and I think everyone else in the family is, too. Well, Sister Kitty seems to have a few doubts. But otherwise, we all seem smitten.

We still have Fae, though! I love her and couldn't dream of giving her up for anything. So, we became a two-dog household ... and what an odd pair they are, too! I think they are going to be good friends, though. Fae has been really good with him today, which was a huge relief.

We named the new little guy Shiner. (Yes, after the town in Texas -- and the beer. He needed a "Texas" name, after all!) Here's a pic of him playing with Fae: