First things first, google PETFINDER and FIND A DOG TO ADOPT now. Don’t wait any longer.
My partner didn’t want a dog, I did. But as the years past, he wanted a dog and I didn’t. He didn’t want dirty paws in his bed, or slobbery licking. I was worried it would chew on papers I like to have stacked neatly on the floor. We both worried it would pee on our beige carpeting, and leave hair and fuzz all over the house.
29 years later, we converged; we both wanted a dog.
But we had requirements, lots of them.
We wanted a dog that didn’t bark. We wanted a dog that didn’t shed. We wanted a dog that didn’t go to the bathroom, that didn’t drool, that didn’t chew on furniture, that didn’t eat shoes or paper, a dog that would never get dirty or lick, or throw-up in the car. I wanted to dog that liked to be cuddled and would sit in my lap, and my partner wanted one that likes to go on long walks. We were worried about getting a rescue dog because we didn’t want it to have psychological issues.
We wanted a RoboDog; a manufactured dog that would meet every single one of our requirements, the perfect dog that would not make a mess and could do no wrong. A dog that would give lots of love, and require no care.
Our friend who is a professional dog handler, suggested some stellar purebreds, but we determined they come with their own sets of issues. We read, and researched, and googled, looking for the magical mix of dog, and how to make it our own.
Eventually we narrowed down the choices to Maltese/Poodle and Bichon/Poodle for their combination of temperament, lack of shedding, and intelligence. Since these dogs aren’t purebred, we decided to take the risk on a rescue dog.
We checked out the local No Kill shelter who told us these “designer breeds” are snatched up by local rescue organizations, so we emailed one of them. We received a response with a photo of Margo, an adorable 2-year-old female “bichon-poo”. We made plans to meet 2-days later, 1-hour away at a dog park.
The next evening during dinner we joked with our friends that we were going to pick up our new daughter in the morning, in reality having no idea if we’d really end up with this dog.
When we arrived at the dog park, it was love at first sight. Margo came right up to us with a big doggy smile on her face. We didn’t know what else to do but to say, “OK.” After a lot of paperwork and instructions from the owner of the rescue organization, we were walking back to the car with Margo on a leash. As we left the park, Margo was faced with a decision. Would she try to follow the owner of the rescue organization back to her car, or willingly go with us? Without any hesitation, she chose us, and marched confidently towards her new life.
She buried her head in my arms and quietly waited to be transported to her new home.
We believe that our silly notion of the perfect “RoboDog” went out into the universe, and somehow manifested into the discovery of Margo.
She doesn’t bark.
She doesn’t shed.
She potties rarely, and always waits until it’s time to go outside.
She never drools.
She loves her dog toys, but never harms them. She picks them up gently, and moves them about, but none has ever been torn nor damaged in any way.
She never bites, only occasionally offering a loving nibble.
She never touches paper, in fact, one of her only fears is the sound of paper.
She has no interest in shoes.
She doesn’t dig, so rarely gets dirty.
She has gorgeous eyes that peer directly into yours.
She has a marvelous personality, the perfect balance of energy and calm.
She gives lots of love, loves to be cuddled, and enjoys sitting in my lap.
And when my partner mentions a “walk”, Margo squeals with excitement, and is happy to walk for miles and miles.
I can’t overemphasize the joy of living with this magical, perfect RoboDog. Margo has now lived with us a year, and all three of us couldn’t be happier.
So please, don’t wait any longer. Google PETFINDER and FIND A DOG TO ADOPT now. It’s heartbreaking how many of these loving spirits need a home, so if you have one to give, please share yours with one of them, you’ll be glad you did.
Mark
West Hollywood