Over at Los Angeles Moms blog today, you can read about our family's decision to add a dog to our little family, which consists of one child, two cats and two fish. I started writing that post on Friday...
...and over the weekend, we became dog owners.
When I told my daughter she could go ahead and start calling the animal rescue organizations listed at Petfinder.com, I figured we'd still have a bit of time to prepare for a new addition to our family. I knew that some of the dogs listed on the site would already be promised to others, and that when we found one we all agreed upon, there would still be some delay while the organization did a background check on US.
I hadn't realized how determined my HUSBAND was. He clicked on the "adopt" links at lightning speed.
"This is bullshit," he said upon downloading the three-page application we had to fill out to even be considered as adoptive pet owners from one rescue organization.
I have to admit that I wasn't relishing the idea of strangers coming by to inspect our home for suitability, either. What if they show up on a day when I've skipped cleaning the cat box? (It always comes down to my fear of being judged as a bad housekeeper, doesn't it?)
"Maybe we should check out the animal shelter," I suggested.
One hour later, we were at the most beautiful animal facility I've ever seen. L.A.'s West Valley shelter was rebuilt and reopened in 2007, and it's impressive: 50,000 square feet which include 152 indoor/outdoor dog kennels that allow the animals to remain in air conditioned comfort when it's hot outside, a windowed grooming area (where we could view dogs as volunteers were bathing them), and gated patios where families can get to know their prospective pets. The areas for cats and other animals are just as extensive.
But finding the right dog was not going to be easy.
As one might expect, the shelter houses a lot of pitbull-type breeds. I understand that the breed has gotten a bad rap, but I don't feel knowledgeable enough about canines to be able to tell a sweet-tempered bulldog from one that's likely to be too aggressive, nor do I feel confident that I can devote enough time to train one. And the last thing I want is to have our new dog kill one of our old cats. So I walked past the rows and rows of American Staffordshire mixes and tried not to feel guilty that I couldn't take one of them.
Sadder still were the older dogs; animals that had been in loving homes for eight or nine or ten years. Many suffer from the infirmities of old age, which means that anyone who adopts them would have to be prepared for hundreds of dollars in veterinary bills. There are probably people out there who are less selfish than we (and can afford to take that on), but I have a feeling that most of those dogs will finish their lives at the shelter, and that's kind of heartbreaking.
What we had in mind was a younger pet - but not a puppy in need of housebreaking. My daughter and I were thinking of small to medium size breeds, and she fell in love with a little Corgi mix. Her dad did not agree.
This gave me hope that we might be able to delay the acquisition of a dog for a little longer. It could take years to find one that appeals to all of us.
And then I saw him: a German shepherd-collie mix with bright eyes and a friendly manner. According to the card displayed on his kennel door, he was 18 months old, already neutered and chipped and had all his shots. He was larger than what I had in mind; but he appeared to have such a sweet personality that I could overlook that.
He would be available for adoption on Sunday.
We showed up 30 minutes before the Shelter opened the following morning. There were already other families in line ahead of us; all there to adopt a dog. We chatted with one another warily - none of us wanted to tip our hand and possibly lose the animal we had chosen as pets. We relaxed when it turned out that each of us had fallen in love with a different dog.
"What should we call him?" Megan asked. None of us loved the name listed on the dog's info card: "Laddie."
I opined that since he was a collie-shepherd mix, that we might want to pick a name that was either German or Scottish. "Like Hans. Or Hamish," I said.
Everyone agreed that Hamish was an even worse choice than Laddie.
"Well then, how about naming after a single-malt Scotch? We could call him Glen - for Glenfiddich."
Megan had a bad experience with a Glen, so that was a no-go -- as were Glenlivet and Glenmorangie. No Glens.
But my husband loved the idea of naming him for Scotch whisky. We thought about - and rejected - Talisker, Oban, Chivas and Johnny Walker Red.
"How about Macallan?" I asked. He'd be known as Mac. Short and sweet.
So that's how this big guy became the latest member of our family:
Mac is as sweet as he is handsome. We were delighted at the low cost of adopting him from the shelter: Just $62. Of course, we promptly spent an additional $200 on pet supplies - but we would have had to do that whether we'd bought an overpriced puppy from a pet store or adopted from a rescue society.
As for the cats: They are not super happy about their new big little brother, but we are confident they'll adjust.
Mac is changing all aspects of our family life... even on my weight loss blog.
Awww, he looks like a sweetheart! It occurs to me that I wasn't really clear on my comment over at LA Moms. I meant, at least she didn't want a younger brother or sister!
Posted by: April McCaffery | January 13, 2010 at 02:23 PM
Such a fine-looking fellow! That's a great name. And he will be a good walking/exercise companion for you, too.
As a dog person, I was very excited to find out about the new addition to your family! And I'm glad you were able to find him at a shelter - my dog's a rescue, too.
Congrats, and I hope you all settle in together well (even the cats)!
Posted by: Florinda | January 14, 2010 at 01:54 PM
I've always been a 'dog' person myself. We've had a Brittany Spaniel for fourteen years. However, since 'cat-sitting' for several friends, I've come to appreciate the beauty of having a cat for a pet as well. I'm sure Mac and your cats will adjust, but I'm also sure we'll be hearing some priceless stories from you in the meantime. Good luck! (By the way, Mac is beautiful!)
Posted by: Brianna Popsickle | January 15, 2010 at 11:21 AM