As you can probably guess from the title of this post, we are thinking of adding to our happy little family here. No, not another kid, we’re done with that. We love the two we have, there’s no way we could improve upon the kid department. 
We’re talking dogs. Now as many of you know (Carrie especially after seeing each Wednesday how Barney wants nothing to do with her dogs except to maybe throw them a ball in the hopes that he may somehow manage to accidentally throw the ball in the same path as the dog and hit one of them) Barney is not that crazy about dogs in general. I blame this mostly on the fact that he never grew up with a dog as part of his family like most of us did, so he has no clue what great companions they can be. I also think it’s really good for a kid to have a dog to teach them responsibility, (for something larger and more sentient than a goldfish) how to treat animals with kindness and respect (ahem….poor Barney), discipline (especially when they’re old enough to help with continued training), and above all, a dog can be amazingly therapeutic. Many of us have told our dogs things we’ve never told another soul.
I didn’t understand at first, as a teenager, why my mom was so very torn up when she had to put down our old dog, Buddy. I mean, yes, it was incredibly sad to loose our dog, but to my mom, it was so much more. That dog had grown up with us. She was our sister, and one of my mom’s kids. But more than that, she was an absolutely loyal companion. She saw my mom through the best, and worst of times, and I can only imagine there were quite a few of the latter, with having to raise three kids under 5 while our dad was constantly gone on month long trips and such. That dog listened to her, sat with her, didn’t have to do anything but just be there.
I loved our animals growing up, and boy did we have a ton. With my mom being such an animal lover and passing that on to me, she just never could say no when I asked for another one to add to the family. My dogs and horses kept me out of trouble during my teenage years. If I hadn’t been so involved with them, I don’t know what might have happened to me. And they fill my memories. Wonderful memories of camping trips, walks, training, competing, and just generally hanging out with them in the house. I want that for my kids.
So, the search for a dog has begun, and as fate would have it, there might just be one waiting for us. I tend to feel that when things fall into place so easily, they do so for a reason. One of my old family friends who breeds and shows champion labs, just started looking for a new home for one of her older puppies that didn’t end up having the conformation for breeding. She knows we’ll give her a good home, and we may go meet her this weekend. I’ll of course keep you all updated, but if all goes well, you’ll get to meet the newest member of our family in week or two. Wish us luck.
I agree with you 100% on how beneficial pets can be to a family. It’s not just about the companionship, it’s the unconditional love and devotion. And if that is what you are looking for, labs are where it’s at! I hope you find a perfect dog that completes your family.
Yay! Beau will have someone to romp with and chase!!! Someone to help him burn all of his Aussie energy! Yipee!!!!!
awww, i think dogs are the greatest and if jason and i could have a dog in our apartment, we’d probably have 12 if he’d let me! and i agree with carrie - labs are the best!
my dear, i love my doggies but had absolutely no idea what dirt and hair and other yucky stuff they bring into a house. we have to plan our trips around the dogs and of course, some places do not take dogs. we pack all kinds of stuff just for the dogsand they take up the whole back seat once they are seat belted in. i always have bruises from buster using me as a launching pad, but maybe labs don’t consider themselves lap dogs. they are noisy, costly and always underfoot. i wouldnt trade them. they allow me to go hiking by myself and feel perfectly safe, (on trails just on the outskirts of town, not the mountains,. however, having pets does prevent some people from being able to stay over because of allergies. anyway, i love my dogs,didn’t get my first dog until i was 39. we were raised to believe they were dirty, which they certainly do track around. especially during the muddy season. we ended up taking out the carpet cuz it was too hard to keep clean ……. anyway, i love my doggies and don’t know what i’ll do when it is time…. they are afterall,12, and buster is showing signs of aging. oh what a world,what a world, (what movie is that line from?) dot
I have a name suggestion for your little girl black Lab..if you don’t already have one. We’ll discuss it this weekend.
See ya!
Cat’s are nice too thou:) Us Boisvert’s in maryland are a two parent full timers and with kids 10 and 12, a dgo we tried but it was too much:). We do have two cats thou Simba and Sandy.
Best Regards