Guy and I have owned Lily for one year and two months. At the time we got her, I had been browsing petfinder.com and every local animal shelter's website for some time, looking for my perfect companion. I didn't have many specific requirements for what I wanted in a dog, but I knew I wanted to adopt one from a shelter rather than a breeder (I have never had purebred dogs and don't really see a reason to start when there are so many dogs in need of good homes already). I also knew that I wanted one then and right then -- no more dillydallying. Our new home had been petless long enough. After I had finally talked Guy into bringing a dog into our home (he loves dogs, too, but was reluctant to take on the responsibility of caring for one), we went to the township's community day in hope of finding a rescue organization with adoptable dogs. To our disappointment, there was only one organization there that day, and the only dog they brought with them was an older beagle in need of special care. Though he was cute, I knew he wasn't for us. So, I dragged Guy to Animal Friends, determined to come home with a dog. Maybe that wasn't the best attitude to have going into it, but we ended up finding Lily, and I don't regret adopting her for a second (even when she chews up yet another one of my socks).
Now that we've had Lily for a good amount of time and she has grown accustomed to our way of life, I've gotten bit by the "I want a dog" bug yet again. My constant browsing of shelter dogs on the Internet has resumed, and I finally convinced Guy to pay a visit to Animal Friends today to see their residents. My attitude is definitely a little more discerning and a little less desperate this time around, but I still have the same feeling every time I see a pair of puppy eyes looking out at me from behind wire bars. I wish I could save them all, but if I have the ability to save even just one more and bring love and a good home into its life, I feel like I need to do it.
Guy is a little more rational than me. He thinks with his head rather than his heart. He imagines doubling the walks, doubling the times we have to clean up poop in the backyard, and doubling the expenses. I can't blame him because getting another dog would be a huge responsibility, but it doesn't stop me from wanting one. When we visited Animal Friends today, I came back from the adoption area with five or six dogs in mind that I wanted to find out more about and introduce to Lily. Guy found one that he liked, and he didn't really even feel like staying for the meet-and-greet. I pushed through with the paperwork, though, determined to at least make the most of our trip and see if Lily would even get along with Amelia, Guy's choice. Unfortunately, Animal Friends was understaffed, overcrowded, or both, today, because we had to wait behind a few other people who wanted to visit with dogs, and after waiting for 20 minutes, we decided that we had to get going considering it could have taken at least another hour.
In the end, I didn't end up with another dog today, but maybe sometime soon I will. And if not sooner, then definitely later. I'm sure Guy will come around eventually, and we will be able to open our hearts and home to another canine companion.
Here are my thoughts on the pros and cons of getting another dog. What do you think?
Pros:
-Having two dogs means they can have a playmate for each other and spend time wearing each other out.
-We will be able to give another dog a forever home.
-We love dogs, and I'm sure another dog would bring double the joy to our lives with its unique personality.
Cons:
-Extra expense and double the responsibilities regarding cleanup and walking
-What if the two dogs don't get along?
-Will we really be able to love both dogs equally, even though Lily was our first and is very special to us?
3 comments:
Playmate idea...I thought it was great when I brought my second dog into the house. And while I will never change my mind in that decision, I will say make sure you have large open areas in your house. When my two go at it, look out!
I also had the second dog bug, but my boyfriend who was living with me at the time was against it, for the same reasons as your husband. I didn't care though, cause the second dog already had my heart.
Yes, I clean up twice the poop, but if you get into a daily habit and just leave a sealed container outside, it's not that big of a deal. My treat expense really didn't go up. Food has gone up a little, but not as much as I thought. Camp went up (but I got lucky and get a discount cause my second dog came from them.) The largest price increase will be shots (after the inital crate/food/toys).
As long as you have the time, I say go for it. I've actually gotten the dog bug again, but I know I just cannot handle 3 myself now that my boyfriend went back to school.
That's another dog in bed, too. I know when Guy and I cuddle, he consumes a lot of bed real estate. Be aware. Be very aware.
A thought about the 2 dogs getting along. Camp Bow Wow will be having another foster dog soon...you could wait to see what they get. As I mentioned, I got Velvet through them, so I knew her and Jonny liked eachother.
Also, I don't know about most places, but the Washington Area Humane Society (where I got Velvet) gives you a 2 week window when you adopt an adult dog. Those 2 weeks cover medical expenses if anything is wrong, and allows you to return the dog and get a refund (or another dog) if for some reason the new and current don't get along. I know the thought of returning a dog is horrible, but it's a nice cushion when you already have one.
And no worries about the love...your heart will grow and you will love the second one just as much, Lilly will just be your "first born".
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