Still Looking

Or there's Gin. I took Gin out on a walk and to play today (Lucy, too). Lucy is sweet and energetic and beautiful and friendly, and she has a lot of energy. I tried running with her for fifty yards or so and she did great - I think I could train her as a running dog. But the problem is that in a smallish apartment like mine, that much energy might be a problem. I can handle an energetic dog, and I even like the idea of working with her to make sure she does well around people, and especially children. But to be honest, as much as it breaks my heart, I don't think I can give her the home she needs right now. There's the additional complication that she's part pit bull. This doesn't worry me - I've done my research on pit bulls (I researched pit bulls several years ago, actually) and pit bulls are generally wonderful, lovable, gentle, playful pets - it's only in the wrong hands that they turn aggressive and dangerous, which is what you would expect from any strong, muscular dog. But there's a big stigma against pit bulls, and even with a pit bull mix I'd have to deal with that stigma for the rest of her life.

And so as I was playing with Lucy, I kind of already knew that she probably is not the right dog for me. Not right now, anyway.

But I stuck around a little longer to look at the dogs again, especially the bigger dogs which I kind of passed by yesterday before I knew that my apartment doesn't have a size limit on pets. And in the cage right next to Lucy was Gin, and Gin was so calm and gentle and lovable when I reached through the bars to pet him. Even when the other dogs all started barking at something and going crazy, Gin just sat there calmly, looking kind of bored. In fact, I almost passed him up as being too calm, but then I took him out on a walk and he was active and curious, and when I tried running with him he did pretty well. Two of the dog-walkers saw me with Gin and had nothing but praises for him. They said he was smart and sweet, that he does great in the car, just sits there and looks. One of the dog walkers had him in the car the other day and stopped to help a cyclist at the side of the road, and Gin was perfectly calm around the stranger, didn't get excited at all. The dog walkers just loved him, and I think I did too. For the record, though, I would rename him. Despite Eric's objection, I loved the name Lucy. But Gin just doesn't do it for me.

I walked away from the Humane Society for a second time without a dog.No decisions yet. Not even a decision on whether I am going to get a dog or not. I loved Lucy, but after sleeping on it I had too many worries to feel at peace with that decision. So far I'm feeling much better about a dog like Gin, for now and for the future, but that doesn't mean I'll feel the same way after sleeping on it some more. But again, thoughts, opinions, advice are all welcome, either here or if I talk to you in real life.