Happy Birthday to me!

No dog will ever make me stop missing Skooter and Moped. They were special dogs, unique. They are Midder Wiggles and Puddin' Pop. I'll always wish it could have been different with them, that I could have done something different to keep them. But every time I go over it in my head, I come up with the same conclusion: they have too much energy for me and that stressed me out.

There are so many things to consider when thinging about taking in another dog:

* taking them for walks every day
* keeping the back yard cleaned up again
* the cats
* the 4 foot fence
* we just gave two dogs up for adoption!
* being on the dogs schedule
* obedience training
* being tied down to the house more
* will it up the stress level
* will they be destructive
* will they be aggressive chewers
* will they have too much energy
* how much will they eat (my boys were fairly picky eaters)
* they'd have to go on tie out for a long while before they could be let free to roam the backyard
* would they bond with us like Skooter and Moped did
* do I want to take another chance at losing a dog I become attached to
* will they get me up in the middle of the night
* will I get them up in the middle of the night (more likely!)
* will they ride in the car okay with only a seatbelt restraint
* can I keep them out of their kennels enough of the time that they don't get bored
* can I keep them from getting bored in general
* will they try to steal food like Moped and Skooter did
* will the carpet get destroyed again
* how much more work will it be for me
* could it be fun this time around
* could I ever love a dog as much as I loved Skooter and Moped

These are just some of the things I think about when I entertain the idea of getting another dog. The reality is always a lot different than the fantasy. I want to think it will work out so that the dog is a great companion and is obedient, but they could just as easily chase the cats and be rowdy.

That's why I'm glad that Kris talked to me about just fostering dogs. If for any reason it didn't work out, then they would join the other dogs down at the Rescue. No commitment to the unknown. No commitment to stress. I'd be walking into it with my eyes wide open, knowing it could be a disaster waiting to happen. I can look at the pros and the cons of letting another dog live with us. I can see that it is not a panacea.

But isn't this part of my dream, taking in GSP's for Rescue? Isn't this something I feel compelled to do? Do I feel that God is putting this opportunity in front of me? Will I choose to help out or to do a whole lot of nothing while pining away for Skooter and Moped? Not that pining away for Skoots and Mopes is a bad thing; it did get me the Dog Blog and that has been a Godsend. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have the Dog Blog as a place to settle down my feelings. It's really helping me get through a tough process.

By the way, Happy Birthday to me. It's officially the 12th and it's my birthday. Think I'll celebrate by taking in two dogs :-)