Do I really Want A New Family Member?

John and I have been married for almost 48 years and for the majority of those years, we have always had a dog. Our fourth dog, Mia Pia (Pain In Ass) joined her predecessors under the apple tree last October. We have been dogless and have missed having a dog since then

Mia was our “final dog.”  After all, we’re getting older. Who knows what the future holds? Training a puppy can be difficult and exhausting. There are plenty more reasons to keep our household to two very independent (as in neither one will sit on your lap) cats and three chickens. Last October I took that decision to heart. I had all the rugs taken out and cleaned and scrubbed everything while they were gone to eliminate all a dog lived here evidence (although anyone whose ever had a dog knows that’s completely impossible).

Now, however, I’m wondering if I should take my husband to PAWS for his birthday tomorrow and get him/us a new dog. There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to go there because it truly is getting more difficult for John to get around, and I think the bulk of the care…but not the loving…would fall to me. On the other hand, a  new dog (not necessarily a puppy) may be just what John needs to snap him out of whatever he’s been going through lately.

As I said, it’s getting more and more difficult for him to get around, but in the past he hasn’t seemed to dwell on the fact that he, to use his words, “might not be here much longer.” Perhaps a new furry friend might perk him up and make him look forward to being here a lot longer than he currently seems to anticipate.

Today I had coffee/tea with three of my neighbors, all of whom know John. I asked them to talk me out of this idea, but they were not the least bit cooperative. Instead, they thought it was a fine idea, talked about how John had more of a neighborhood presence when Mia was here and could be outside with him. It might be just exactly what he needs they said and reinforced this insane (to me) idea.

So tomorrow morning I’ll go to our granddaughter’s graduation from elementary school…I watched her get on the bus for her first day of kindergarten…so I want to be there for this too. Tonight I told John that after Haley’s graduation I’ll return home and he should be ready to leave the house because there’s a birthday surprise waiting. If all goes well, I guess Dog #5 might be our new family member, and I’ve already got a name for her…Mistake or Missy/Mister for short.