JRT

I sent an email to a lady about a Jack Russell Terrier that is a four year old male. He was a show dog and has had lots of training. He's a beautiful smooth coat boy. I'm hoping that David and I could see him sometime tomorrow. I have my doubts about a JRT being the dog for me but I'm willing to give him a chance. I did a lot of research on JRT's, their history, temperament, traits, etc. It was interesting to learn so much about them. I sent the owner another email with my number so she can call me and we can set up a time to see the dog.

The closer I get to the realilty of having a dog again, the more I take a step back and evaluate the situation. I don't know that a JRT would be a good match for me/us but I still think I can learn from the experience of considering a JRT. Learning what I DON'T want is as important as learning what I do want. Since I don't have a lot of experiences to look back on I have to learn from current situations.

I know the easiest thing to do would be to NOT get a dog. Would I really take a dog for a walk twice a day? Would I clean up the yard EVERY day? Would I have the energy and inclination to do obedience training every day? Lots of questions I have to answer before I decide to get a dog. I am going to look tomorrow though. There are SIX adoption fairs around town from 11am - 3pm. I'm not sure we'll get to all of them or if we'll even need to get to all of them but I'm up for the challenge.

I can't expect a dog to change my life. My life is what it is. I'm a low activity person and I need a dog that would gel with that type of life. I do want a dog to walk with me but I also want him to be mellow when he's home. I'm still thinking that a labrador/golden retriever mix would be awesome. It's a big dog, but a mellow dog. As long as I can keep up with the yard I'd be okay.

But will I keep up with the yard? I think I will but I've never done it before. I've let it go for weeks and then had a guy come and clean it up for me. I don't have the money to do that now and I also don't want poop being out there for a week. I need to pick up poop every time the dog goes to the bathroom. It has to be a daily chore for this to work. I just need to get into a routine.

Truth be told, I'm scared. Getting a dog is a big commitment. I have to give 100% to a dog. Life would change for me again. Am I ready for that? Do I want that? I don't want an adorable face to sway me. I feel that I can stand strong and say 'no' to any dog I have issues with. That's what makes now different from then. I know in my brain and in my heart that it's okay to say 'no'. I know there is no rush to get a dog, if I get a dog at all. But tomorrow I'm not going to let all this ruin the fun of checking out dogs. That's something I would do whether or not I wanted a dog.

I'm going to do some more research on what it takes to be ready to take in a new dog, whether it's a puppy or an older dog. Being informed is very helpful.