I don't like dogs.
I've had a few unfortunate experiences with dogs in my life. One centers on three nasty German Shepherds who lived two doors down from my childhood home.
One includes a neighborhood dog that bit me...and still growls whenever I see him. I think the feeling is mutual.
My brother was injured when a dog charged at him and he ran, and tripped over a spike and tore his knee open.
I don't like dogs.
Josh has been asking for a dog since he was little. I always said I wouldn't potty train a dog while potty training kids.
Then the kids were potty trained. So I used our then-upcoming adoption as an excuse. But Mali has been home for almost two years now (and the issues we're facing aren't going to be made better or worse by the presence of another pet).
But really, I don't like dogs.
They slobber, poop in the yard, you have to walk them, they sit on the furniture, they chase you.
But OG has wanted a dog desperately for a while now and we thought it would be a good solution to a myriad of issues in our home. We tried an older dog at first (who was a wonderful dog, but didn't mesh well in our home). The girls were devastated when he needed to find a new home. So we were searching, for the right dog, the right time, the right breed, the right amount of training (housebroken at least).
And then this little guy fell into our laps.
This is Scout Balto Beuker. He's an 8-week old Husky. He has piercing blue eyes, soft cuddly baby fur and a fleur-de-lis on his forehead. He came to us through an unusual set of circumstances, visiting two other homes before settling in ours. He's just a baby, only been away from his mama for a week.
But I don't like dogs, remember?
In the past 5 days since he has been home, I have not had a solid night's sleep. I think that we are up, on average, 3 times a night with this one. He's nippy and rambunctious and he poops on the floor.
But I'm pretty sure this little guy has stolen my heart. He makes me so happy. With his puppy kisses and exuberance. And the fact that he needs a mommy, to love and protect him, to give him boundaries. His enthusiasm to see me, his obvious preference of me over the kids, the way that I can understand some of the things that he needs.
So I guess this means that I have a 5th child.
Because, you remember, of course, that I don't like dogs.
