Friday, December 17, 2010

A Forever Friend?


My SISTER-in-law is thinking about getting a dog. Just thinking...not sure...I'm trying to convince her it's a good idea....I think. It's no secret that we love our Ben. He was a rescue, years ago to heal our daughter's broken heart. He came into our life skinny and neglected, and within a week he was sleeping on our couch and I was preparing breakfast for him to order!

Terry said she doesn't want to turn into one of those people who talk about their dogs like they are children. Good luck with that, in no time at all you are talking for them....
"Ben says he's hungry!"
"Ben says he wants to go for a ride in the car!"
"Ben says he wants a bite of that steak!"

He's a senior citizen now, in fact his hearing is gone but he still watches me and knows what I'm saying.
"Where's Daddy Ben?"
"Are you hungry sweetie pie?"
"Let's go for a walkie!"

Ten years and he knows our every movement. He knows when it's time for Jerry to come home, he knows
Saturday morning after coffee and paper he has a long walk. He especially knows summertime routine when we are getting ready to go out on the boat...his FAVORITE thing!

So I'm telling my SISTER-in-law it's a good idea, but it's a decision only she can make. There are vet bills and haircuts, toys and beds, leashes and collars. There are fences and gates, bowls and placemats, brushes and Kongs. There are times when you can strangle them for barking or peeing or chewing something up. But they work their way into your heart in no time just like kids. They know you as well as your spouse, and they forgive you like no human ever can. God made dogs for us to enjoy. He made them for us to care for and in turn they heal a broken heart and add so much to our lives. I'm voting "YES!" Let's hear what you think she should do....

*If you are thinking about adding a Forever Friend to your family, please visit the Humane Shelter or the many rescue groups in your community who have hundreds of pets just waiting for you!

8 comments:

  1. Well, my husband has wanted a dog forever, after the last one we had I said never again, but last year just after Christmas my daughter called and said she saw one just like daddy wants on the CARA website. So I pulled it up and looked and made the mistake of letting him look, needless to say she is now a member of the family. She knows the sound of our vechiles when we pull in, she knows our footsteps in the house, she only barks if it is someone she doesn't know, there are days I could take her right back but most days I do love her and could not begin to think about not having her.I just hope she outgrows this chewing stage while we still have a house left! Merry Christmas! Shelia

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  2. I say yes! I love my dogs! I have 2 of them that are mainly outside dogs. I don't know what I would do without them. They bring such entertainment. And their love just melts my heart!

    My suggestion would be to go for a low maintenance short haired dog that wouldn't need hair cuts and shed all over everything.

    Merry Christmas!
    Angela

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  3. Yes....yes....yes...i would be lost without my fur babies.....and rescue is the "only" way to go...!!

    Enjoy

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  4. We have 4 dogs - 3 of them rescues. Elliott came to us as a rescue 13 years after our last dog had to be put down. I'd really fought the idea of another dog until after we retired. I just hated for a little dog to be left home alone. But he needed a forever home. I scrapbook and found a piece of paper that was printed with the words, "They say we rescued you, but you really rescued us." Can you believe I found that paper? I've never, ever seen another piece of it anywhere. Elliott was definitely meant to be ours. Because we didn't want him to be lonely while we were at work we rescued Smoke. Then we got Dani. (She's our only non-rescue.) Then we moved ot the country and Mikey (our lab mix) showed up at our door one cold, windy day in March. He's never left. Someone told me he must have heard about us through the "doggie" grapevine. To take in a dog requires commitment just like adopting a child would. Dogs need loving and forever homes.

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  5. I am hopelessly in love with our dog. My kids say that I'm obnoxious when it comes to her. There was a sign in a shop that said "I want to be the person my dog thinks I am." How true is that. They think we are the best thing since sliced bread.

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  6. I am owned by 3 dogs and I love them dearly. They are by far the greatest creatures that God ever created, and I tell them so each and every day! BTW - Look what God spelled backwards is ... DOG!

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  7. Of course our dogs are our children... we refer to our two as "the babies".
    My daughter once said, "You let them get away with a lot more than you ever let me:-) I agree with Oklahoma Granny re the commitment, and love forever. We have had our little girl almost 16 years and our little boy almost 14 years and have loved every day that they have been in our lives.

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  8. Now, you already know which way I'm going on this! If I didn't have my dogs, it just wouldn't be the same here in the Hollow! And Copper as you know, was a social reject and Moon, a drop off in the mountains...the two BEST sidekicks I could ever ask for! And, they KNOW me better than my husband!...:)JP

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