Since I was young, I’ve always had a dog around me. When I was growing up, we rented and so, unfortunately, I wasn’t able to have a dog of my own. Luckily, my grandfather owned his home and had a dog. From old family photos and videos, you could always see the dog around. I remember family meals and feeding the dog from the table to Christmas mornings where the dog would play with all the wrapping paper. I remember the day we had to put that dog down. I was devastated at losing a literal, lifelong friend. Soon after that, we would go to the humane society to look for a new companion to join my grandfather. When my grandfather passed away, the dog remained part of the family and I would visit it when I would come down almost bi-weekly from the Twin Cities. Just like the first dog, I fell in love and enjoyed having a companion around the house. Eventually, that dog would go on to live with a family member on their farm to live out the rest of its life.
When we relocated to the North Iowa area, my aunt had rescued a dog from a bad situation, and of course, knowing that we had a home I could actually have a dog in, I was hooked. There were some struggles at first as both of us adjusted to each other but eventually, we would all grow into one loving family. Just like with the first two dogs, I enjoyed the companionship a dog brought to the house. There’s nothing better than coming home after a long day to someone who is so excited to see you. There were also a lot of adventures. One of the first was when the dog got out and ran a good distance across the frozen lake. That was terrifying. After more than 10 years, it was eventually time to put the dog down after developing arthritis and other health conditions. It’s a hard decision to put any animal down, especially one that’s been a part of your life for such a long time. In the end, we knew it was the best and most humane decision for the dog. That was a few years ago and since then, the house has been dog free.
Recently, the time has seemed right to bring a new companion into the house. I’m excited to have a new companion join the family but with that comes lots to think about. This gives me an opportunity to share my story and the many adventures I’m sure I’ll go on in finding that new companion, training, and general everyday life. Stay tuned to my blog as I share more about this new adventure. As I’m still looking for a companion, I’ll start by sharing what considerations I’m making and what I’m looking for.