First Anniversary

A year ago I made a decision that sort of changed my life.


I knew I was taking on a big responsibility when I got Jin, that I was trusting myself to be more competent with dogs than I have ever been with, say, plants. But it turns out it's a lot easier to keep a dog alive than it is to keep a plant alive. After all, I've proven quite adept at keeping myself in the running, and I am much more similar to Jin than I am to a Sanseveria trifasciata (it died), or a Chlorophytum comosum (it died too).

Of course, in many ways I also didn't quite know what I was getting into. While Jin's branch of the family is much closer to mine that a plant's, we're still very distant cousins, and I don't always understand him. I have no idea what makes him so anxious around other dogs, or why he likes to run away when he seems so happy with me, or why he loves asparagus but turns his nose up at oranges, or what invisible creature he seems to see in the corner of my living room.


But while he's given me some grief, you just expect that from a pet. Having a pet is (in some small way) like having a child, and billions and billions of people throughout history haven't let childbirth and the terrible twos and adolescence stop them. Also, since Jin was full-grown when I got him, I've accepted that some things just come with the package. So in spite of the runaway attempts and the hair on the couch and the dog anxiety (his), I've grown kind of really attached to him. He's one of the most affectionate dogs I've ever known, is a great cuddler, and knows how to get people to fall in love with him. Plus, he thinks the world of me.

A couple weeks ago we visited the vet for Jin's yearly checkup and some scheduled shots. He's very healthy - perfect weight, healthy coat, and in good shape (he's running with me about three times a week these days). People tell me all the time what a handsome fellow he is. He's become much better on his leash (with me, anyway) and I really enjoy taking him for walks. And the other day, after trying unsuccessfuly to hunt squirrels, rabbits, birds, and (yes) a skunk, he finally made his first catch - a large fly, or maybe a bee (it was too mangled by the end to tell for sure) that he chased around my bedroom, much to my amusement, cornered in the bathroom, and managed to incapacitate. I wish he would show as much interest in spiders. Or those big ants that get creep across our carpet in the summertime.


Anyway, a year after the fact, I'm very happy with my decision to get a dog, and with my decision to get this specific dog. We're on the road right now, driving from Michigan to Utah so that he can meet my family for the first time. He's a bit bewildered by the experience - 6 hours is a long time to be in the car, and today we're going to do 12, and on top of that he gets to sleep in hotel rooms, garages, and utility sheds. But Jin's been a big part of my life for the last year, and I'm excited for my family to meet him. He's a good dog, and a year after I first met him, I hope to have him around for many more years to come.