This is me... I think I was probably 4 or 5 in this picture. That's Mandy, my grandparents' dog...they lived down the road from us, the next house, and there was a path that connected our properties... My parents didn't want my sister and I walking along the busy road, but we could go back and forth using the path all we wanted... Mandy was a great dog! I don't remember her ever being on a leash yet she was outside, on her own, a lot. She stayed in the yard, even if my grandparents left her alone to run errands. She was very content. The only time she left her house was when she had been left alone in the summer and there was about to be a thunder storm. On many humid summer days we would be at our house and would hear her whine... we would look and she would be sitting at the edge of our property whining. It was always sunny when she arrived, with no real signs of a storm, and we would tell her she could come up and she would run towards us and head into our house. Within minutes the clouds would come and the storm would start. She hated thunderstorms, did not want to be alone. I loved her. I remember laying on my grandparents' floor, in their living room, using Mandy as a pillow.
As an adult, I have not been a dog person. Due in part, I believe to learning that I am allergic to dogs, at least that's what the allergy testing showed when I had to be tested due to a reaction to medication.
Knowing that I was allergic to dogs meant I kept to myself when I was around dogs... in recent years, however, my sister's pug, Mr. Peepers, grew on me. When I would visit I had started to let him cuddle with me and enjoyed his company. My friend Meg takes care of her landlord's dog, Gracie, and I have spent quite a bit of time with her. Gracie pup is a great dog, so sweet, and she has won my heart. A few of my friends have dogs and they seem to love having their dogs. I have ever only had one, what I would call, reaction to dogs... and it was when I was in a vehicle where a dog had spent a lot of time where the person had not cleaned the fur and dander out.. and it was in the winter, with windows closed... and I had a bit of an asthma reaction... but other than that I get sniffly, but not more than how I get with my cats.. and my house has hardwood floors, so easier to keep up with the shedding.... so this is a good way for me to see how I do with dogs in my space!
For the last year and a half or so I have been wanting a dog...but I am not sure if I like the idea of having a dog more than actually having a dog. I am, and have always been, a cat person. But, since buying my house in Spring 2015 I feel like I should have a dog, to take for walks, and to take on other adventures... but is it the right thing for me? Would it be the right thing for a dog?
I am pretty busy... I work full time as a school administrator, am an author (being published this spring), and love kayaking. So do I have time for a dog? That is part of the puzzle... for the last several months I have found myself looking at pictures of pooches online... looking at local shelters as well as petfinder and have looked at the websites of local rescue organizations. There are SO many dogs that need homes. So if I was going to adopt a dog, would I want a small dog or a big one? Young or old? male or female? (Okay that last one is easy, I want a female dog...if I get a dog...) Are there certain breeds that I am more drawn to? And... do they get along with cats. That's a big one, because I am, and think I will always be, a cat person... And... can I train any dog to accompany me on my kayaking excursions?
So, as I was looking at different sites I thought about a couple of my friends who have fostered dogs... My friend Patti does so for a local organization and she is amazing! Her dogs, and her foster dogs are lucky to have her as their human! My friends Suellen and Mike also fostered dogs, for a different local organization, and they became foster failures, adopting Sophie, who is a sweetheart! Both of these fostering situations have been for organizations for which my friends play a role in the adoption process as well as caring for the dogs. I do not want to be part of placing a dog, but like the idea of taking care of a dog when it needs a place to be... So I reached out to a shelter and inquired about their fostering program. I met with their foster coordinator and talked about my experience with dogs (or lack thereof)... I explained why I was interested in fostering and also said I would need to foster dogs that are cat friendly...and would prefer, at least for now calm dogs, until I know if I can handle other dogs. She explained that they have a lot of need for short term foster placements.... for 5 day quarantines for dogs coming from southern states or even Puerto Rico. She said there may be some other circumstances too... and sometimes longer term needs... even said in the summers when I would have more time, that there may be opportunities to take in a pregnant dog and keep her while she has her puppies and keep them all until the pups are ready for adoption... that seems like a big commitment... so not sure I will do that, but you never know.
So... I will be a foster parent, for dogs... I am excited to see how this goes.
In the meantime, let me introduce you to the other residents of my home..
Meet Lucy...
Meet Stella
This is not the best photo of Stella... in which she would be disappointed because she knows how beautiful she is. But what this photo does show is her making sure she gets attention. She demands it and does not like to share it when she wants it. By all accounts, Stella is MY cat... she tolerates other people, but doesn't let other people pick her up... and tends to hiss at people who try... but she is a lovebug when she is in the mood to do so. I anticipate that she would eventually tolerate a dog, but that as they were getting to know each other, she would give the canine a few slaps to establish her dominance... after all, it is her house...and she just lets Lucy and I live here!
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