Donna and I did not have a dog during the first 20-plus years of our marriage. There were a lot of reasons why this was so, partly because Donna did not see herself as a "dog person."
On the other hand, I had had a dog as a friend and companion from the time I was four or five until I was 17. Then, with years of schooling and travel, I was not able to have one, but I did have a cat named Grasshopper (who thought he was a dog) for some 20 years. Grasshopper was deaf and blind, but he just kept going and wouldn't give up. When we finally put him to sleep, he fought it and I felt terrible. I swore I would not have any more animals because that just hurt too much.
However, I started reading about the healing skills of dogs and thought Donna and I could both benefit from having one in our lives because we both have health issues.
I talked with Donna about getting a dog for healing purposes quite often and she finally agreed that "you can have a dog, but it will be your dog."
I agreed and we contacted, then visited, a nearby shelter.
We didn't connect with any of the dogs we met there, but left information about the kind of animal companion we were seeking.
While we waited, I asked Donna what name she might pick if we were able to have a dog. She said, "Bella." I said, "Well, he or she might already have a name, so we have to just wait and see."
Not long after that, the rescue people let us know they had a dog that seemed just right for us. Her name? Bella! Well, that sealed the deal and we agreed to adopt her. (My first cousin's dog is named Bella as well, so we now have Bella 1 and Bella 2.)
The adoption took place one year ago today and we couldn't be happier. Bella is now part of our family and we love her very much. No longer my dog, she is definitely "our dog."
More from us, and from Bella, later.
Frank
(c) Copyright, Frank and Donna White, 2018, All Rights Reserved
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