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This is exactly the experience. Except for the dog part. There’s the constant scouring of the craigslist, the kajiji, the various online listings and directories. There’s the emails, the waiting for the callbacks, the competition, the gorgeous ones that got away. There’s the big decision do we take this one or risk holding out for the next one. Is this one just perfect or will there be problems we find out about later. Is it wise to take the first one we look at?
As a young boy, my father once made a point of imparting on me what true “gems of sagacity” (that would be his word, I had to look it up) would best set one up to get through life most successfully. His father had told him “You Have to Paddle Your Own Canoe” to which my own dad would add, with a typically implausible balance deadpan and heartfelt sincerity, “also, Dogs are Good.” And that has always sounded like good advice to me.
Requirements: Must be likely to catch Frisbees (and bring them back), must be of at most medium size, must have reasonable temperament. This is leaning us to a shepherdy type, but a mutt or cross breed thereof would be just fine (possibly even preferable). Our condo is less than enormous, but just across the street to a wonderful dog park. At least one of us will be working from home for the near foreseeable future so the young beastie should have plenty of company.
Any dog lovers, what to look for in an animal? if you have one, how did your pick your animal? how did that go for you? and where did you find him?
