Post #16: Dog in the House

All of our dogs in the past had been “outdoor” dogs.  We would go outside to play with them, and they would occasionally come inside.  But mostly, our dogs just lived in the back yard.

We did not allow dogs to live in the house with us because of my allergies.  I had always been allergic to cats.  Runny nose, itchy eyes, asthma, rash, the whole deal. 

But dogs and I always got along when I was a kid.

Something changed when I hit young adulthood.  All of a sudden, I discovered that I was allergic to dogs.  I’d get the runny nose and asthma, the itchy eyes and rash.

So the rule was, we could have a dog, but the dog lived in the backyard.

Our sons grew up and moved off to college and started their lives as adults. 

Son2 adopted a puppy, Java, to keep him company in his apartment while he was in school.  Java was a sweet miniature short-haired red dachshund.

Son2 had done his research.  He had read that dachshunds are relatively easy to keep and don’t often cause allergies.  Java lived in the apartment with Son2, and even slept with him. 

Of course, young men lead active lives.  And sometimes, Son2 needed to go out of town for brief trips.  He asked if we would mind dog-sitting Java.  Well, he was my son, and she was an awfully sweet dog. 

I figured I could keep my asthma inhaler nearby and make sure I took my antihistamines.  So, we said yes.  Java came into our house and made herself at home.  She sat in my lap and watched television with us, and was pretty tolerant of our ways.

It finally occurred to me that I had been holding this dog, and nothing bad was happening.  No coughing.  No wheezing.  No itchy eyes. No rash.  No runny nose! 

The next experiment was to allow Java into the bed with us.  No problem!  Son2 had found a breed of dog that could live in the house with us!

Son2 eventually decided to bring another dog into his life.  Java needed a companion while Son2 was gone.  And so, he adopted Gui.

We had the pleasure of dog sitting two dogs, now.  And this proved to be a fun experience for us.

When Katie died, our house was empty.  Sure, Wife and I had each other, and Katie lived outside, but something was missing.  So, we went looking for a dachshund!

I started reading the advertisements in the newspaper.  I had a mission: To find our next dog.  I wanted a dog as sweet, loving, and allergen free as Java and Gui.

I responded to a newspaper advertisement in the classified section of the newspaper.  We were told that the woman had three miniature dachshund puppies.  We could come and look at them in a few days.

No, we couldn’t come to her house.  She lived in a gated community and they did not allow her to sell the puppies from her home. 

No, we wouldn’t be able to see the parents of the puppies.  The woman was a friend of the breeder.  The breeder lived in Dallas.  The woman was a dog handler who took dogs to dog shows, but was selling these puppies as a favor to the breeder.

We arranged to meet the woman and the puppies in the parking lot behind a tobacco and pipe store in a few days.

And so, now we have to wait to meet our next family member …