To dog or not to dog, that is the question

Dogs! Everybody loves them. They are so darn cute and even the ones that aren't just make you want to hug their necks out of sympathy. From their frantic wagging tails to their tongues always ready to unleash a torrent of saliva on the next living thing that comes close enough, we humans just cant get enough.

For the last couple of years there has been talk in my immediate vicinity about getting a dog. Both J-Bird and Lil C have both repeatedly and very adamantly made it known that a dog would be living with us sooner rather later. Not just any dog, but a Pug. Pugs are either really cute or really ugly depending on who you talk to about it. In my house, there was no option given. Pugs are the bees knees. They are petite, cute and have that personality thing going for them. Just check out all the images one can find with pugs in them.  J-Bird and I even went so far as to put down a deposit on a pug from a respected pug breeder. Current estimated cooking time is November/December. It was a big commitment step at the time. Or so I thought.

Seeing that recent life events have conspired against me and I will likely never see that particular pug, I must consider whether in light of all the changes happening right now do I dare take on the responsibility of owning a dog? Lil C most definitely thinks the answer is YES. I am remain a little skeptical based on past experience, but as I indicated in a previous blog post sometimes you have to reach out for something different and new to move forward. Let us examine the pros and cons.

PROS

Loyal partners

Hilarious to play with in almost any environment

Cuddly bed buddies

Conversation starters

Chick magnets

Defenders of the home

Lickers of the face

Most likely to find that missing sock the washing machine keeps hiding

LOVE the minute you walk through the door

CONS

Pee and poop everywhere

Hopefully not in the bed, please God say its not so!!!

Barking

Most likely to eat that missing sock the washing machine keeps hiding

Lickers of the face

The ability to look into your soul to the point where your very existence is questioned

The mail person now hates you

Going to the vet

Cost is $$$$$$

Ok, so did we get anywhere with that exercise? Hmmmm. Lets examine. It seems like a wash in terms of the number of pros vs cons. We likely need some kind of qualitative measurement. The gleeful playing and LOVE aspect are very appealing. After all, those are things I could use desperately right now. Pros 2 Cons 0. I am a fairly clean person however, and the idea of having to clean up after a dog is not very appealing at any point of my life. Pros 2 Cons 1. Having a loyal partner around would be cool. The dog would certainly make for a good buddy for Lil C and perhaps teach him some responsibility. Pros 3 Cons 1. The money thing is definitely not cool. I really dont need to take on any big expense right now. Pros 3 Cons 2. I could really use a bed buddy right now and Lil C spins like a helicopter while sleeping. Pros 4 Cons 2. I really hate doing anything medically oriented. Lets face it, nobody likes going to the doctor and especially not one for animals. Pros 4 Cons 3. I also do not relish coming home to having my favorite pair of running shoes looking more like a pair of worn Birkenstocks. Pros 4 Cons 4. Well, that didn't get us anywhere either. We have been doing the fish thing for a few years now, but fish just arent good companions unless I can learn how to breath under water. Sigh. There is something that may trump every con that someone can think of concerning dogs. They are way cooler than cats.

FACT! Alright, now we are getting somewhere. So what kind of dog should we get? There are so many options. I live in an area where it seems like rental properties come with a free dog. Lock in two years and you can have two! Seriously, there are a ton of dogs in my neighborhood. All sizes and shapes are represented. Perhaps we can start by eliminating some of the sizes and shapes. I definitely do not want a big dog. I just don't have the room. Plus I imagine they require more effort to walk and my current dog walker is 7 going on 8. So no German Shepard or wolf. A long and short dog like a dachshund isn't my style, although I still harbor a fantasy to dress up a dachshund in a hot dog costume for Halloween.

Huh? How cool is that? I mean look at the mustard. Ok, I digress. I think that a smaller dog is ideal for the current living arrangement I am in. Plus Lil C would be able to help out better with a small dog. A pug is out of the question at this point. Too painful a reminder at the moment. So that leads me to a french bull dog. They are a little larger than a pug, but just as adorable. I have always thought they had sort of a royal air to them. I mean they are french after-all. Badum dum. I have located some good information on frenchies and they seem to have mostly good personality traits (except the flatulence, but so does Lil C and I live with him just fine). They are tough to train and bark a lot when they are left alone, so those are two things to consider.  Come to think about it though, its doubtful one will ever find a dog that is perfect, but french bulldogs are soooo amazing to look at. Those little legs and barrel chests and the ears! C'mon. I do believe we have found a winner. Look at that face! Look at it!

So that just leaves with the job of finding the right dog to bring into our lives. That I think is worth another blog post entirely. Time for some research. Good day all!