Complete Randomness....

Many times throughout the week, I think of things to blog about. And then, when I find the time to sit down at the computer and write, none of them come to mind.


Since I haven't written in awhile, these will be in no particular order.
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The 'dog' situation has become much more difficult than I expected. As hard as it was to put Sam down (despite not having a choice) I figured it would be a matter of weeks before we got a new puppy. I've always been a dog person. I couldn't even date a guy, much less marry one, who didn't love dogs. I always knew they'd be a part of my life. They always had been. We had a dog, Sam (although she was a girl named after Samantha the Witch), from before I can remember. We put her down I think when I was in Jr High. For the next few years, my sister and I would go to the pound, picking out what was the 'perfect' dog for our family. It took many dogs to get it right. And even then, I ended up getting it from a friend. Their dog had mated through the fence with another dog and one lonely puppy came out of the litter. My mom drove me over to pick him up and 'Scotty', despite how ugly/cute he was, he was the dog that became a part of our family.


I only lasted two years in college and was then given Jackie for my 21st birthday. Thankfully, Kyle acted like he loved Jackie even on our first date. So, given that I'm now 36 (for a few more months!), I've had 1-3 dogs of my own for the last 15 years. I don't know what to do without a dog in the house. Although I'm not the best at keeping up with my fair share of the 'dog care', it just doesn't seem right around here. Kyle, much to my surprise on the other hand, is thoroughly enjoying life without a dog. (See above about how I don't help out on the dog care). A life without scooping poop or worrying where you walk in the backyard is GREAT in his mind right now.





We both really miss Sam and I think that's part of the problem. He started out as kind of a pain-in-the-rear puppy. He was a lot more 'needy' than what melded into our house/lifestyle. But, in the few short months without Jake around, he turned into THE best dog anyone could ask for. The transformation was miraculous. He became everyone's buddy. He helped Kyle with the yard. Ran right next to him while he mowed - even in the front yard. He took turns sleeping in different kids' rooms over at our neighbors when they dog sat for us. He put Olivia to bed every night. I miss that little pain-in-our-rear.





So, in this search of 'to have a dog' or 'to not have a dog', we've been talking about what to do IF we get a dog. We always thought our next dog would come from the pound. I grew up with pound puppies/mutts. They live longer, a great plus seeing as our dogs lived shorter and shorter lives with each one. So, we went to Petsmart the other Saturday where they supposedly have 'adoption day' for shelter dogs. The whole time there, I just kept thinking they sure seemed like puppy mill dogs, not found-on-the-street dogs. Don't ask me why. There wasn't one that just felt right. I realize this might take time, but then it got us to thinking about vizsla's again.





We did some research. The more I researched them again (despite owning two and knowing very well the pro's and con's of a vizsla...), the more I just felt like this was our dog. We didn't need to search anymore, we just needed to find one. For those that knew our dogs, you can surely attest that there are many pain-in-the-rear attributes about a vizsla. As Drew Leakey would quote from a dog show 'this is one high energy bitch'. Referring clearly to the female version. I can't remember what you call a male, but we had that 'high energy' version!! Clearly! They remain puppies much past the medical definition. Vizsla's demand a lot of attention....and won't settle for anything less. They get into mischief. A lot! Especially if your name was Jake. But, on the other hand, they are the most loving dogs I've ever seen. They truly want to be a part of your family. Their temperament is never an issue. They are SMART dogs. Vizsla's want to be a lap dog as much as they want to be running in the biggest field you could ever find them. And, they are just plain adorable.

Have you seen anything cuter than this? I think what I love about the idea is that I know exactly what we're getting in to. I don't have to wait for the big surprise of what this dog is going to turn out to be in life.

And, Kyle is pretty much on board with getting another vizsla. So, what's the problem you ask? For starters, this breed has increased in popularity immensely since we first picked out Jake. 4x more popular!! I'm talking about the price. We got Jake and Sam for less about 1/3 of what it would cost us to get another vizsla (our breeder cut us a deal on Sam...go figure!). And, we now live in Florida, not Texas. This is not Kansas. Or, at least not 'hunting' territory. Despite the increased popularity of vizsla's, breeder's are still quite protective of the breed and they are rather difficult to find. The closest I've been able to find one is Pensacola, which is a 12 hour drive from Miami!! And, we still have to come to terms with the price issue. Which, honestly, just does not fit into our budget. The breeder's try to tell you to amortize it over the length of time you have the dog and then it comes out to nothing....do they realize ours did not make it past 9 and 7?? And, it doesn't include the cost to travel to pick up the dog.

So, I've taken all this dear time out of your day to tell you that we are back to square one. Kyle can't decide when he'll be ready to get another dog. Olivia and I are asking daily, but yet understanding that since I lack in the dog-care category, my vote is not a full vote. I've attempted to claim that I will be better in this area, but since we all now that is not realistic, I'm giving Kyle his time. Do we find some way to justify the expense of another vizsla or do we continue down the 'hunt' for a good pound puppy? How do you know what you're getting in a pound puppy? Are you playing with fire? My family included, I know too many people that have had to take pound puppies back because they were not a good fit for the family for one reason or another. Dear friends....we need advice!! Truly!
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Randomness Part II coming tomorrow.......the thoughts have come back, but I clearly took up way too much space with just one topic. I must learn the 'less is more' lesson.