A throw away comment means there's hope!

Whilst having a coffee this afternoon, my husband commented on a "nice little dog" sitting with his owners outside the same cafe. He mentioned the low maintenance aspects of such a dog and seemed to take to the little fellow. Of course, I was heartened by this and we had a small conversation on the pros and cons of various types of dogs.



We then checked out one of those cheap $2 type shops that sell absolutely everything, and I couldn't resist browsing in the pet section. Those little dog beds are quite cheap. I suppose they'd be okay for indoors, but I know any dog we adopted would have to sleep outside most of the time so something a little more robust may be in order.

A Week Too Late

I neglected to check out the website for one of the regional pet adoption agencies. And you guessed it, there was a lovely black Pug looking for a new home. Unfortunately, they hadn't kept their website up to date and the Pug had already been adopted by the time I rang. If I'd checked ten days ago perhaps we could have adopted him. Oh well, that's the way the cookie crumbles.

I originally just wanted a mutt - a "heinz" variety dog, so perhaps that's still the way to go.

In regard to the driveway side gate, my husband wants to extend the side fence further down the block. This entails talking to the neighbours and working something out. What if they don't want a fence? I guess the only way to find out is to ask. But, you know, we really don't see them much. They are always in and out. I should get onto it quick smart so I can ring some fence companies. The sooner the fence is up and gate is moved, the quicker we can get a dog!

He thinks Pugs are ugly

Well, while we were in the car yesterday, I broached the subject of Pugs.
"Do you like Pugs?" I asked.
"No. They're ugly" was his reply.

I can understand anyone thinking they are ugly, and maybe they are a little bit ugly, but they are also cute looking ugly animals. Anyway, does it really matter? He does not want a dog anyway, so why should he care what the dog looks like!

My kids like Pugs. They sort of fit the bill: not hairy, not big, don't require masses of exercise. There are a couple of downfalls that I can see: a) they snore, b) they do not like the hot weather. Well, that's okay, because I already live with someone who is exactly the same! So perhaps it would be a match made in heaven. Husband and Pug might hit it off really well!

Dogsearcher

I seem to spend a ridiculous amount of time checking out lost dogs' homes websites looking for a dog. I'm not all that fussy, but I would like a dog that is not too young, not too big, not too hairy, not too active, not too vocal, can cope with his or her own company during the day and can win over my husband's approval.

Not too much to ask? I think not. The hardest point is the last one.

My husband really doesn't want a dog. "I don't want a dog in the house" he says.

"No, of course not dear" I say - all the while thinking "but he can come inside in the back of the house for while each day and sit with us while watching the telly. And perhaps we can even have his basket inside so he doesn't get cold".

My two kids (teenager and twentysomething) and I have been working on getting this dog for years. They say they'll be well and truly over getting a dog by the time we actually get one. Maybe so.

My husband is not silly. We have taken years to renovate our house. Our backyard is not secure enough for a dog. Six months ago I insisted we do something about the side gates. So he built a side gate. "Look love, I have built a side gate" he said. "That's wonderful dear" I replied "Now it just needs a latch and lock". He has painted the gate and it swings beautifully but, alas, no lock is yet in place. The gate cannot yet be secured. On the other side of the house is the driveway with an even bigger gate. That gate worked once upon a time, but it doesn't work properly now. I think I may have to get a gate man in to look at it. My husband says "Why fix that gate when I think I want to move it further down the driveway?" No, he's not silly. He knows all these little hurdles are postponing the dog aquisition.
I have said "We are never going to get a dog".
"Yes we will" he says. But he is probably thinking "heh, heh, heh, no we won't!"

He comes up with excuses like:
a. "What do you do when we want to go away on holiday?"
b. "There's no-one home during the day"
c. "Who's going to walk it?"
d. "Who's going to look after it?"
e. "I know you will want to have it in the house and I don't want a dog in the house because they smell and leave hair all over the place!"

Our reassurances of exceptional dog care are not particularly well heeded.