Last night we met the newest addition to Val and Heidi’s family, Miss Agatha Anne:
She’s a teeny, tiny Yorkypoo (am I even spelling that right?) and she sort of won my heart. Me. Hater and fearer of all dogs. Me. I can’t figure it out, but some frozen part of my inner belief system must have melted and thawed, revealing space that could love a dog. We’ve told our kids for years that we would (maybe) get a dog someday when I could be home more often. I explained that it wasn’t fair to a dog to sit in a kennel all day. This was a very good stalling tactic, and I thought I’d be able to use it for many more years to come. But here I am home all day.
James told me once that he wants a big, strong dog to sit at his feet and learn from his wisdom. Since I have no wisdom to embark, I think I would do best with a tiny dog, one whose messes can be cleaned up with a paper towel instead of a shovel.
So, you dog-lovers out there, please tell me—can you recommend a small breed of dog that is good with kids, not known for excessive barking, and can learn to give me a back massage? And does a little dog have to be walked outside, or could I just put it on the treadmill in the winter months?
And also—what kinds of questions should I be asking myself before I get a dog? Because heaven knows I didn’t ask myself enough questions before I got a kid.
