I love dogs!

I love dogs...really I do. I have two shih tzus...one I purchased as a puppy from a reputable breeder (Lily), the next from a rescue group (Maggie). I've always had dogs, they were always rescued and they were always large! So getting Lily was a shock..and there was a lot of guilt involved. My DD was 7 when we got Lily and unfortunately many rescue groups won't even consider you if you have a child of that age....at least with small dogs...yes you can get a Pitt Bull but no small dogs for you! And I get it on some level. There are many of DD's friends I could kill...get your grimy little hands off my dog...she is a dog not a doll! Maggie would bite them if they pulled that crap with her. But DD wasn't your normal 7 yr old..she was great with dogs. She was a cautious, careful child that had been around dogs of all sizes since birth. She was a dog girl!

The guilt that surround Lily didn't only involve her purchase. You see we had two dogs...a boxer (Mattie) and a lab (Sandy), both rescued. We had to briefly stay with my MIL when we were having our house built. We brought both dogs with us to stay at her house for our 5 months of hell. Well they were older at the time, Mattie was 10, Sandy was 8. While staying at MIL's house, Sandy went blind...but we never noticed. When we moved to our new home and had enough grass so the dogs wouldn't trash the entire house we brought our dogs to our new home. Only to have Sandy...who was always the brightest, most well behaved, easy going dog, pee all over the house and walk into walls...suddenly we realized she was blind. When it happened, we didn't know...but she was confused. Thankfully MIL wanted to bring the dogs back to her house and she did. A little over a year later, Sandy had to be put to sleep. DD held her in her arms as she passed away. It was one of the most difficult things I ever had to do in my entire life. I still get teary eyed when I think about it.

So we decided to bring Mattie back to live with us... which did for about a month. Then we went on vacation and MIL dog sat as she always did. When we returned she wouldn't give us Mattie back. She stated that the month that Mattie was gone, her dog had an episode of depression. He went from being one of 3 dogs...to the only dog in the house. She claimed she was home most of the day and could look out for our old dog. So we let her stay...and she encouraged us to get another dog of our own. So finally we did.

After a lot of research we decide on a shih tzu. A far cry for the larger dogs of the past. After several month of trying to get a dog from a rescue group and being passed over time and time again I started to research breeders. I found one I felt comfortable with in Hazelton, Pa. She had great references and she had 2 dogs that couldn't be placed as show dogs. One had an eye injury the other was partially deaf. We decided on the deaf one! I don't want to minimize my love for any dog I've owned...but Lily was the love of my doggie life! She is a sweetheart! Shortly there after I decided we need another....I always liked dogs in pairs...and I think they enjoy the company too! It was almost 10 months to the day when I saw the add for Maggie on Petfinder. DD had turned the magical age of 8 (It is the magic year for some rescue groups) and we drove to Harrisburg to get Maggie. Maggie was a difficult dog at first, and that is a story all it's own. She was full of fear, anxiety and aggression...but that has disappeared (for the most part) over that past year. Now she is a little sweetheart too!

Well now MIL is divorcing her 3rd husband (that story for another day!) and we have to take Mattie back...which I don't mind after all she is our dog. But had I known...maybe I would have thought a little harder about adding that second dog. Of course I love them all and would never give any of them up. But god! 3 dogs!! And Mattie...she is now 13 or 14, we really don't know which and Boxers don't live this long...according to every vet I've ever seen. Boxers in double digits are rare, boxers pushing middle double digit are a miracle! Maggie and Lily aren't adjusting real well...we have had a few accidents in the house...which of course we didn't discover till they dried nicely into the carpet...and well it's just too many dogs! I've now baby gated the entire house so the dogs can only be in the kitchen and family room.

You know I feel like I've become on of "those people." Those gross people with too many pets. There are little itty bitty black hairs all over the house....part of the reason I chose shih tzus are because they don't shed. I'm vacuuming daily...wiping spit off the walls...(boxers drool...not as bad as bull dogs but they drool). I've forgotten how big of a mess Mattie can be! But don't get me wrong I love the old girl...3 dogs! Yikes!!!

It has only been a few days....god I hope it gets easier!