I was quite adamant about not getting another dog after Ember died on Easter, but Ivylad kept “hinting,” printing out lists of AKC dogs from the paper, leaving notes with phone numbers of breeders about, and generally moping around.
Well, yesterday, after realizing that he does need another warm body around the house to help take his mind off his back while I’m at work and the kids are at school, I agreed to take a trip down to the no-kill shelter.
We park, and he immediately heads into the shelter building. Because I am still trying to act reluctant about this whole thing, I hang back.
And that’s when I noticed the cage outside to the left of the door of the building, with the sign “PUPPIES” hanging over it.
“Oh, shit,” I think, staring at the three husky/chow mixes tumbling around the cage. “Ivyboy, go get your dad.”
Ivylad comes out, and starts cooing like a new mother over her baby. One of the pups was a cocoa color with ice-blue eyes, another was a lighter brown, and the third was a beige color with a white blaze on his face and white paws. They’re all about eight weeks old, and they’ve been at the shelter for a week or so.
Ivylad pets them, then goes in to take a quick look at the other dogs. Then he comes out, pulls out the pup with the white blaze on its face, and takes it over to the grass to play with it. Ivyboy and Ivygirl also start playing with it.
Realizing I have lost, I trudge inside and pay for the puppy. Included in the price is the first two shots, a dewormer, and a bath. We also got a coupon for a $15 neutering when he’s a bit older.
Then I go outside and tell Ivylad, “Happy Father’s Day.”
The puppy’s name is Buck. We wore him out yesterday, and this morning, I come out and Ivylad is sleeping on the couch with the puppy laying on his chest.
