The Conspiracy

I have been the victim of a conspiracy. It started with my children. Then my husband joined in. Later my sister and sister-in-law got involved. The final straw was when even our neighbor started to side against me. The conspiracy involved a dog. I didn't want a dog. My husband always said he didn't want a dog, but apparently he changed his mind. He decided it would be a good thing for the kids to grow up with a dog. He also decided that we needed a watchdog. Shortly after this, my sister-in-law kept bringing her very cute Cavalier King Charles Spaniel over. Then one day our neighbor (with whom my husband had been talking about the dog issue) showed up at the door with How to Raise the Perfect Dog by Cesar Milan.......(as if such a thing were possible.)

So, I decided that education was my only defense, especially after my neighbor said (when he gave me the book) that it was "a matter of when rather than if." Since I am one of their best customers, the White Bear Lake library was more than happy to loan me a small collection of dog books. We started with The Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds which showed us all manner of professional photos of show dogs with descriptions of their size, temperament, exercise needs, watchdog ability, grooming requirements etc. Since we had already decided from the beginning that IF we got a dog it would be a short haired one, this disqualified at least half of the dogs in the book. With some of the requirements some dogs have, I don't see how their owners can even think of having a personal life. When I see the masses of hair in some breeds, I can only imagine the time commitment required for the brushing and detangling, not to mention washing and drying of their coats. Some of the dogs I read about require TWO One Hour walks a day! Who has time for that?? Certainly not a family with three young children where the parents consider themselves lucky if they get in one twenty minute workout for themselves three times a week!

I read at least four other dog-related books (My favorite was Be the Pack Leader by Cesar Milan. I think this book is interesting and helpful even if you never own a dog.) I have interviewed people from two different rescue groups and the Humane Society. I have spent hours on petfinder & been fascinated by the myriad of dogs up for adoption, their names and their stories. Two of my children and I even went to a "meet and greet" for a rescue group and had a wonderful time petting the dogs and talking to their foster parents. All the "parents" were eager to answer our questions, and one of them even put her "foster child" into my arms and began to sing his praises. I have talked to a number of friends and relatives who are dog owners to glean their words of wisdom. I have even gone so far as to become a volunteer for Minnesota Boxer Rescue. Although I have yet to do anything for them, one of their members volunteered to mentor mentor me on doing home visits (for potential adoptive families), and I have begun receiving many interesting e-mails about dogs and jobs that need volunteers. The most interesting thing I have learned about is the transports. People from various rescue groups band together to transport dogs LONG distances....like from Georgia to North Dakota! Different people volunteer to transport the dogs on a leg of the journey (usually about a 1-2 hour drive) and all the legs together combine to cover the whole distance. I had no idea that something like that went on! (Although I have to say that I would pity the dog who had to relocate to North Dakota. :) )

So, after all this, am I ready to get a dog? The answer is that I feel like I am about to jump off a cliff. I am worried about how well I will handle the additional responsibility, and since I do like dogs, I don't want to be a bad dog owner. However, dog ownership does interest me, and some aspects I actually find exciting. I recently read an article about a study in Great Britain showing that dog owners actually get more exercise than non-dog-owners who have gym memberships! Heaven knows, I could use more exercise! I also like the idea of having a warm, furry body around spreading joy and unconditional love. I just hope I am being realistic.

We have decided to wait until spring. At that point, we will lay everything out on paper and try to realistically evaluate our fitness for dog ownership. Of course, money will be a factor. If we can afford it and it seems that we are truly up for the task, we have all agreed that we would like to get a boxer or boxer mix. But I have told my husband, "No puppies." I have done enough potty training already.