Kijiji Ad: ONE FREE DOG

Today I went for a walk - three times.  Once with my two kids and the dog, once with my two kids and an empty dog leash, and once with my two kids, my husband, and the dog looking forlornly at us through the fenced-in yard.

Sigh.  Dogs.  You love them and they love you.  You hate them and they love you.

Do you remember my story of our date night? When all we did was search for our dog, and by the end of the terrible evening, we still didn't find him?

We found him the next day in the POUND!  He looked pitiful.  And of course I started to cry.  I hate that I started to cry.  Most days I want him to disappear, and the one time he does, I cry with relief when I find him.  I hate that.

We should've known he was a runner since the first day we got him eight and a (long) half years ago.  We brought him home, just 1 1/2 yrs old, with his sad, dark eyes, sleek fur and happy smile.  The next day he jumped through a small window, right through the screen, and disappeared down the road.  Our neighbour eventually found him and brought him back.

The following week while we had company over, he escaped, and we spent our evening driving around town looking for him.  He was waiting for us when we got back home. "Where'd everybody go?" he asked.

I have written and rewritten the Kijiji ad SO MANY TIMES, that I have it memorized:

FOR FREE: one ten-year-old black lab-retriever mix, male, indoor/outdoor dog needing constant companionship, a warm place to sleep and a high fence.  Will pay for allergy medicine, ear cleaner, even dog food and vet bills.  Will not pay the $80 'get-out-of-pound' fee any longer.  Come get him.

But then Mr. hears of somebody having an intruder enter their home.  "The dog stays," he says.

So he stays.  He scares away squirrels, the local groundhog, and various tomcats who torment our kitten.  He also scares the papergirl, the woman collecting for diabetes, and any potential cake customers who may come when the shop is closed. He steals the kids' breakfasts, barfs on the rug, gets ear infections in both ears (and therefore can't hear burglers), has major seasonal allergies, and steals pizza.

BUT, he's so sorry.  He loves me.  He follows me everywhere and needs me during a scary storm or when the kids go off to school, and he reminds me of times when we played 'catch the stick' at the beach.  He is greying now, and slow, and sleeps most of the time.  If we sent him anywhere, I'm sure he would die of heartache, and that I could not handle.  One night away from me in the pound showed me that.

So do I let him back inside tonight, out of the doghouse? Do I let him eat his supper even though he ate the neighbour's garbage? Will I look after him through the night as he gets sick in the backyard?  Umm, well, maybe not...

But I'll put an extra blanket in his doghouse and I'll let him in the house if it starts to thunder.

I can do that.

He needs me, you know.

Geriatrics, sheesh.