A New Addition!

I am pleased to announce that my family and I got a new puppy this morning! He is a full-bred Golden Retriever. The kids have christened him "Buddy." He is absolutely adorable!

I have never considered myself a dog person. I like dogs, but I have never been prone to be affectionate with dogs that I don't know. I have a dog. She has been mine since she was weened from her mom. Actually, runt that she was, she was pushed out by her siblings when she was 4 weeks old. We took our larthargic little puppy home, and I fed her dog food soaked in milk from a spoon for weeks! She has been my dog for almost 13 years, and I love her.My husband has decided that we should get another dog before Roxy gets too much older (or dies, heavens forbid!) so the puppy will have a role model and Roxy can have a "youthful inspiration" around her. Really, I think he just wanted a puppy, but he didn't have to tell me twice!

So, we toted the kids down to the animal shelter and didn't find any dogs of a fitting disposition. We ended up at (gasp!) a pet store near my house where we get all our supplies for our existing animals (Roxy, parrot, fish). We were originally looking for a Labrador, but settled on possibly a German Shepard until we saw our little fur baby. He was sleeping in his cage, all curled up in a ball in the corner. I knew he was mine when I saw him.

He has been gentle and fun and happy all day so far. He likes his crate, as they said he would, so we don't have to worry about him getting into trouble at night or if we have to (rarely) leave him alone. Interestingly, I would like to add what I have learned about Godlen Retrievers. They are loyal and gentle-spirited dogs. They are often companions for disabled or mentally insufficient individuals. Having an Autistic child, I could not be more happy with our choice of pet. Timmy has been giving him a wide berth so far, and he won't stay out of the cage (I know, right?), but other than that, I hope they can learn to play together. It will be excellent interaction therapy for my little boy.Thank the gods for the companionship of animals. They really do make life on this plain richer, fuller and more rewarding.