I remember very clearly Ed saying “we’re NOT getting a dog”. It took me back to when I was about 7 and was pleading with my parents to get a dog. The negotiations, the begging, the pleading, “Yes, I’ll walk it and feed it and clean up after it”, only to be met with “you couldn’t even keep the gerbil alive how do you intend to look after a dog?” Yes, we got the dog and she was with us for a glorious 17 years, and yes, my Mom was the one that ended up caring for her. The discussion with Ed was much different. To hear my son tell it he knew we were getting a dog the minute I mentioned it whether Ed thought he wanted one or not. There was no begging or pleading this time, only the promise that I would be the one to walk it and care for it. We decided we would adopt a rescue, a decision we’ve never regretted. There are so many pets out there just waiting for their loving forever family. Through the search for our “perfect companion” even Ed started to get excited at the prospect of having a little fur ball in the house. After a couple of weeks of scouring rescue websites there he was on the Funds For Furry Friends website. I instantly fell in love with his picture and started the adoption process. Keep in mind that with rescues there is quite often baggage attached, after all, nobody knows what their life was really like before they went into rescue. Our rescue is stubborn and full of attitude with the cutest little howl when he is impatient. He is terribly frightened of thunder and loud noises. He loves other dogs but does not trust people. If he doesn’t know you and you bend to pet him he will bite you, if you move towards him too quickly he will bark fervently and he will bite you. I warn everyone of this when we meet on our walks or if they’re visiting our home. It’s hard to get people to understand what a sweet, gentle, loving boy he is when he’s so nasty to everyone else, but he really is and he’s the perfect addition to our little family. He’s been with us for two years now and we can’t even remember what life was like before him. Before there were muddy footprints on the floor. Before I had to go for that 5:00 walk whether I wanted to or not just because he somehow instinctively knew it was 5:00. Before I was delegated to a tiny corner of my bed while he stretched out across the middle, because Heaven forbid we should inconvenience the dog. Before this tiny little thing ferociously protected me from the noisy dishwasher. Perfect dog? No. Perfect for us? Absolutely! This is Otto and he is my heart.
