I'm not usually a jumpy person. It's just that I feel so isolated out there. I don't mind spending some time alone, but I'm used to having alone time as a cherished exception, not a norm.
So I'm thinking about a dog. Probably a rather large one, so that I will feel safe. It's nuts, because I don't even live in a bad neighborhood. Quite on the contrary, my house is fairly isolated, and my road practically dead-ends in the city's baseball field. But I just can't imagine being the only breathing body there 50% of the time.
Of course, if I get a dog, Roomie thinks I wouldn't be able to come and spend overnights at his house, because of his landlord's anti-pet policy. I would think that George (the landlord) wouldn't mind having a doggie-visitor, especially now that George lives clear on the other end of town, and not right next door. I don't know. I guess it all depends on what he has against dogs.
I grew up with pets, so I know how much work they are, and larger dogs require exercise every day. Also, large dogs have a lifespan of 12-14 years, so it's a pretty big commitment. I would never relegate a pet to the pound. (I mean, unless it went nuts and started eating people or something.) Big dogs are also expensive. They eat about $30 in food every month, require at least annual vet visits, obedience classes, as well as licensing, booster shots, collars, grooming equipment, leashes, and dogsitting if I am away. They are also time-intensive. You have to walk them, groom them, bathe them, train them, and give them play-time with their pet person. And when they are puppies they make messes and get into things and excrete where they shouldn't and chew while they are teething, and can't be left alone for more than a few hours. It's kind of like having another child to care for, but one you will always have to parent, because she will never have the sense to stay out of the street, get her own food, or stay out of trouble.
Of course, the benefits of having a dog are enormous, too. Pet owners are healthier, happier and less stressed than other people. I will be forced to get daily excercise. I'll have a source of unconditional love. The house won't be empty. Kirstin will start to understand the sort of responsibility animals are, and also learn to treat animals with respect. You can take a big dog camping, and they enjoy it almost as much as you do. (Dogs that I like enjoy water almost as much as I do, too.) Your dog understands your feelings and is willing to pay attention to you whenever you want it. Dogs also remind me of how silly it is to sit and watch TV, how important things like sleep and water are, and how precious people are. Dogs are also great companions on cold nights, when they will keep you warm, and when you are cooking, because they hang around the kitchen as if you are the greatest chef in the world.
So while I have been dreaming about a dog and seeing all the negatives and positives involved, I have been browsing related internet sites. Did you know that there are dog-breed rescue organizations out there? They actually are giving away unwanted animals, who don't live in a pound, but are cared for in foster homes until they are adopted. In the foster home they are assesed for any behavior problems, neutered or spayed, and they are socialized and played with often. There are places out there with dozens of unwanted golden retrievers. (Of course that's my dog of choice, because I grew up with them. )
I also like chesapeake Bay retrievers, but they are a little more expensive. I think Brittany Spaniels are cute, too, but I don't have any hands-on experience with them.
I know, I should consider mutts, too, but I am very leery of them for a number of reasons. When I was a kid, my parents first two dogs were strays. We got them both as puppies, and they were both well treated and cared for. One of them turned out fine, and we kept her until she died of old age. The other one, though, turned mean at adulthood, and despite the training and loving, kept attacking people. We had to send her away. Ever since then, my parents have bought pure-bred animals which have been specifically bred for intelligence, trainability and people-skills. I firmly believe that all the training and affection in the world cannot conquer the genetics responsible for some canine instincts. I have had too much zoology and too much personal experience to trust a dog of unknown heritage, I guess.
Temperament is probably the biggest concern I have in an animal, though, and I don't know any other way to get an even-keeled puppy than to go with one that has been bred that way.
Anyway, I can't get a puppy until the last week of October, because I will be busy with plays until then, and because I would want to puppy-proof the house. After October, though, I have about 4-5 months during which time I'm not going to be doing theatre, which would be just about the right amount of time to socialize and potty-train a little doggy. If I get one. We'll see.
