by Meadow Lark

Created on: November 30, 2009   Last Updated: December 03, 2009

It was an omen. The day before I met Dog #3, I told my husband that I figured it all out, I'm insane and no one wants to tell me!

Taking care of dogs on the day after Thanksgiving was not a good idea to me, but I had no choice since my husband was working that day. I drove Max, our 10-year old big black lab, to the vets that morning. He received his annual exam and a flu shot. I thought that would be the end of it.

Dr. Gray explained the importance of having both of our dogs immunized with the flu vaccine. I thought I would simply rush home, return Dog #1 to the back yard and take Dog #2 to get her flu shot and come right back home so that I could clean, take care of my home and myself. It was not to be. I met Dog #3.

I was simply waiting in the lobby of Dr. Gray's office with Dog #2. The wait became longer and longer because a man had a German shepherd/chow/who knows what(?) puppy that someone dumped on his family. The staff at the vet's office tried desperately to figure out a solution as I sat, waited and said nothing. Although I said nothing, my thoughts were, Oh, dear God, please help me not take Dog #3 home.

As the clock ticked on, 10 minutes passed, then 15 or 20. The staff and the reluctant foster parent of Dog #3 came closer to my area. He explained to the staff that he was trying very hard to take the dumped puppy to a place that did not euthanize. That must have been the key word for me.

I should have just put my hands over my ears and said, La, la, la. Instead, I told the man in his desperation that I had a friend who worked for the Humane Society. I would give her a call. My friend was not home. The next call I made was an important one. It was to my husband. I was afraid of the words he would say, although, my intuition was correct. He said, Yes! Yes! bring it home!

I reluctantly told everyone in the lobby that the dumped puppy was going home with me and Dog #2. After our kind vet, looked him over and gave a pill or two to kill the fleas, the three of us drove home.

Now, the training begins and the constant shuffling. Behind Door #1 is a black lab named Max, behind Door #2 is our sweet rescue female dog, Meadow. The female dog seemed to enjoy the tiny male dog right away, and, as most trainers will tell you, two male dogs don't always get along. It seems Max is defending his territory and frantically peeing on everything that Dog #3 has peed on only moments before. Thankfully, I have watched this go on in our backyard and not inside our house.

I don't know if Dog #3 will stay with us, but, at least, he has a home for now. Puppies are cute but they are a commitment.

Me and Dog #3 have a lot of work to do.

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