Lucy

I’m a cautious, methodical person by nature. I’ll rarely throw caution to the wind and make an impulsive, emotional decision. The only time in my life I instantly acted upon an idea without thought or consideration was when we bought a pool circa 2006. I never regretted it either, as my young son and family lived in that pool every summer until Nidan became older, and the MS made it harder to maintain. 

Fast forward to 2023, and another crazy idea popped into my head: “Let’s get a dog.”

It’s important to note that I never owned a dog in my life. Cats were the pet of choice in my household growing up, nonetheless I’ve always loved all kinds of animals. But the three post pandemic years were brutal. The forced isolation, followed by increasing lack of mobility resulted in me becoming mostly housebound, introspective, and living in my head, which was not a great place to be. We all needed something to break from the malaise that had set in. I wasn’t up to getting another cat for a variety of reasons, but the idea of a puppy struck a nerve somewhere.

But it couldn’t be any kind of dog. I didn’t want a big dog, and we needed a hair dog due to K’s allergies, so that limited our options. I remembered a friend visiting us last year with her Havanese puppy (she had a Maltese too), and how I connected with Franklin, the Havanese. He was super friendly and affectionate, had a rich chocolate colored coat with alluring green eyes. So, I asked K how she felt about getting a dog, and she was receptive to the idea.

After K (who is the researcher in the household) did her due diligence, she discovered a breeder in Connecticut who had a litter of Havanese puppies. We scheduled a visit to see him and agreed we would make no commitments. We’d see what we’d see, drive home, and take a few days to make decision. Unbeknownst to K, I decided to bring my checkbook with us, just in case.

Long story short, we were instantly smitten holding those little fur balls, and I gave the breeder a refundable deposit before we left. Two or three weeks later, when she became eight weeks old, the little girl that opened this post, Lucy, was coming home with us.

So now I am two for two on impulsive decisions that have worked out. Lucy has opened our hearts, given us something to love and provide unconditional love in return, made us laugh, gotten ourselves out of our heads, and has been an absolute joy. Having said that, I have learned a lot about dogs that I never considered.

I never realized that puppies are a hell of a lot of work. I didn’t consider having to wake up numerous times during the night, or the relentless attention that was required when potty training and protecting everything in the house she could chew on that could hurt her or piss us off. I didn’t consider that when they aren’t sleeping, they want to play, play, and play some more. That can be a distraction when working from home. Dogs are also a hell of a lot more expensive than cats, can be prone to stomach issues (multiple bouts of diarrhea) and that puppy proofing the house is a continuous struggle.  

I also didn’t consider the notion I would be dead tired and running on fumes during the day. It reminded me of Nidan when he was an infant and toddler (he was not a good sleeper) but there a big difference handling that when you are in you early 40’s compared to being in your mid 60’s. Nor did I consider that we would not be able to leave her home alone for a while, which was mucho inconvenient. Havanese are known as Velcro dogs, and hate being alone, even now as she is approaching seven months old. There have been numerous occasions where, in the throes of sleep deprivation and utter frustration, both K and I have muttered we must have been insane to get a puppy.

The days are full now, and there isn’t a lot of free me-time. Gripes aside, it has been a wonderful experience. We have no regrets, are looking forward to seeing her grow through her adolescence to adulthood. I’m happier than I have been in a long time, and I know our little Lucy, the joy she brings and the love she gives, has a lot to do with it. And she has finally given me something to write about, although finding the time to sit at the keyboard has been impossible until now. I’m sure this won’t be the last time I write about her. 

I should have done this sooner.