The only downside of having a dog...
I think everybody who knows me knows this: I am dog crazy. When I was in undergrad and couldn't keep a dog in my dorm, I walked dogs as a volunteer at the local shelter, just so I could get that fix of canine sweetness.* Much more embarrassingly - oh, this almost hurts to admit out loud - occasionally? When I went on long walks at night through the streets of Oberlin with my boyfriend? I sometimes pretended to be holding a leash, so I could imagine I was walking a dog, because I wanted one so badly.
Yeah. There's one of my more embarrassing secrets...
I don't think I could live without a dog anymore. Once you've experienced that infinite sweetness aimed directly at you, that total sense of companionship, loyalty and playfulness at your side, it's almost impossible to give it up. Getting Maya is one of the best things I've ever done, and I've never regretted it.
But there is just one part of living with a dog that I hate. And it's called househunting.
We've been living in Leeds for 6-1/2 years now, and 6 of those have been spent very happily in the same house. We love our landlady (she's also one of my best friends - how convenient is that?), we love the wooded valley two blocks away and the horses that live on our street...but it's finally time to move, and we're moving all the way down to the southwest of England, where Patrick used to live, and where we've always planned to move "someday". Now someday is here...and I'm remembering just how much I used to hate househunting, for the sake of that one moment repeated thousands and thousands of times along the way...
"I'd love to view the property, but I ought to tell you first - I have a dog, is that going to be a problem? Oh...well...I understand. Thanks anyway."
Sigh.
Maya is a super dog. She's been perfectly housetrained ever since we first met her, she rarely barks, and she's a joy to know. But househunting with a dog? Totally sucks.
Tomorrow we're driving down to spend the week in the southwest, househunting in person. So far this afternoon I've called five different estate agencies about five different properties. Only one of them said that the owner of the house would allow a dog.
Again: Sigh.
Back to searching through the online listings for the next set of phone calls. But at least I get to do it with a sweet, happy dog snuggled into my side, as consolation...
__
*Note: volunteering as a dogwalker was such a great experience. If anyone out there doesn't have a dog but still wants to get some regular cuddling & playing time, please go sign up as a shelter volunteer! They desperately need you, and oh, you'll get so much out of the experience. It's not just about doing a good deed for dogs who desperately need some kindness. It's also about making yourself happy and getting lots of love. I walked the shelter dogs twice a week, spending an hour at the shelter each time, and every single time I did, I spent the rest of the day afterward just floating on the fun and sweetness of it.
Yeah. There's one of my more embarrassing secrets...
I don't think I could live without a dog anymore. Once you've experienced that infinite sweetness aimed directly at you, that total sense of companionship, loyalty and playfulness at your side, it's almost impossible to give it up. Getting Maya is one of the best things I've ever done, and I've never regretted it.
But there is just one part of living with a dog that I hate. And it's called househunting.
We've been living in Leeds for 6-1/2 years now, and 6 of those have been spent very happily in the same house. We love our landlady (she's also one of my best friends - how convenient is that?), we love the wooded valley two blocks away and the horses that live on our street...but it's finally time to move, and we're moving all the way down to the southwest of England, where Patrick used to live, and where we've always planned to move "someday". Now someday is here...and I'm remembering just how much I used to hate househunting, for the sake of that one moment repeated thousands and thousands of times along the way...
"I'd love to view the property, but I ought to tell you first - I have a dog, is that going to be a problem? Oh...well...I understand. Thanks anyway."
Sigh.
Maya is a super dog. She's been perfectly housetrained ever since we first met her, she rarely barks, and she's a joy to know. But househunting with a dog? Totally sucks.
Tomorrow we're driving down to spend the week in the southwest, househunting in person. So far this afternoon I've called five different estate agencies about five different properties. Only one of them said that the owner of the house would allow a dog.
Again: Sigh.
Back to searching through the online listings for the next set of phone calls. But at least I get to do it with a sweet, happy dog snuggled into my side, as consolation...
__
*Note: volunteering as a dogwalker was such a great experience. If anyone out there doesn't have a dog but still wants to get some regular cuddling & playing time, please go sign up as a shelter volunteer! They desperately need you, and oh, you'll get so much out of the experience. It's not just about doing a good deed for dogs who desperately need some kindness. It's also about making yourself happy and getting lots of love. I walked the shelter dogs twice a week, spending an hour at the shelter each time, and every single time I did, I spent the rest of the day afterward just floating on the fun and sweetness of it.