Random Musing on... Puppies!

Call me at a loss, because I'm not sure what I should blog about today. Now that I'm done with the big Robotics competition, I'm trying to take care of stuff before Spring Break as well as catch up on me time. I'm off tomorrow and I don't know what I'll do just yet. Maybe something exciting. Hopefully something productive...

So, let's talk about.......... puppies. Okay, that was just a random word that came to mind, but let's go with it. I am definitely a dog person rather than a cat person. The first dog I remember my parents having was a half-pomeranian/half-rat terrier mix that just looked gorgeous. At this point, I moreso remember her from pictures and one of the first home movies my parents shot with the new camera. Growing up, I've been used to having 1-3 dogs in the house and all of them except one was a pomeranian. Some people may make fun of poms because they are small (I've heard the term "drop-kick puppy" more than I would prefer to remember), but it means that you can pick them up without ripping your back apart. I think it happened more than once where my dad would bring a new puppy home by having him/her tucked away in his inside jacket pocket.

My sister was the dog trainer, now vet, of the family, but I helped out a couple of times. There was one year where we were at a 4H show and there was a costume contest for the dogs. My sister went on to show dogs for a while at those competitions and will now be a judge. Of course, the dogs really loved my dad over anyone else. I'm sure all the table scraps had something to do with that, but it was also the morning meals and constant time together. My dad's not a very emotional man, but the dogs definitely hold a place in his heart. I've also enjoyed the companionship and playtime.

My sister and brother-in-law currently have a Pomeranian and a German shepherd, who is a loveable klutz. Without any form of direct communication, every family dog has shown off its personality. A few of my high school friends had cats and dogs, but it wasn't the same. I didn't really spend much time up close with a cat before, so the first time one tried to crawl up me as I was sitting on the couch, I definitely tensed up. The sandpaper tongue also just weirds me out.

One of my co-workers has an older dog he adopted from a shelter last year. Athena (the dog) is a couple years old but still spritely and enjoys when students come by to visit my co-worker's apartment. I feel like she's come to recognize me specifically too, but it could just be her playful nature.

"So is this entire entry leading up to you posting a picture of a new puppy you just got???"

Well, no. At this point, I don't feel like I'm ready for a dog. For one, it doesn't feel like I would have the space for a dog in this apartment. The pet policy limits the size of pets, but even without that, I feel like I would go with a smaller breed. I'd also worry about long trips, like the Robotics competition or other trips with clubs/organizations. Oh, and I wouldn't want a puppy right now. My inconsistent schedule would not bode well with an animal that is figuring out how to control its bladder.

So yeah, a short increment of time devoted to puppies. Hope you enjoyed the read!