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For the Love of Dog
Sometimes Love Requires Sacrifices
Before this spring, the last time I adopted a puppy was in 2010, and most of my memories of my male malamute mix, Rillo, are good ones. He’s been with me through the end of my marriage, dislocation, travels throughout the West, temporary living situations in four states, and a series of boyfriends that he generously considered a mixed bag. But at least, he never bit anybody. And I wouldn’t trade his companionship, loyalty, and genuine love for all the riches in the world. I often tell people, “He’s the light in my forest.” But our decade-long relationship has, perhaps, left me wearing rose-colored glasses.
In late February of this year, I began longing for another dog — a slightly younger “Pandemic Pup” who would encourage both Rillo and me to be more active. Covid isolation has been hard on all of us, and I knew that I had the energy, time, and resources to take on another pup in an arrangement that would benefit all concerned. After browsing “Desert Paws,” I kept coming back to the soulful eyes and luscious, brindle coat of a smallish, female, shepherd mix. One of nine pups, “Birdie” was described by her caretakers as friendly, intelligent, and not prone to barking — the same qualities Rillo possesses in abundance. I thought it could be a good fit — and after a few phone calls and a trip to Petsmart, Birdie was ours.
