eric Posted November 16, 2002 Share Posted November 16, 2002 First of all, I'm so glad I found this site. I feel like that kid in video where she's running around in a bumblebee suit. She runs around some city and keeps getting laughed at and rejected and then she runs into this room where all these people are wearing the same bumblebee suit. They all dance and laugh together and she is so happy she has found a place where people act and think like her. I feel like that. I feel I can say:"My dogs sleep on the bed with us. In fact, the reason we got a kingsize bed was because of the dogs" and not feel like I will be ridiculed. Anyhow, my wife and I currently have two dogs, Sam and Travis. Sam is a black lab/shepherd mix and Travis is a german shepherd (not sure how purebred as he's from the humane society) and we love them madly. We do not have any children by choice. I really, truly apologize for how long I know this is going to be but I really want to get this stuff of my chest. My wife has had dogs in the past, but not I, so this was a bit of a new experience for me. I had always wanted dogs, but my parents would not allow it. We got my first dog, Sam, on Mar 28, 1999. I am slightly embarrassed to say that we bought him from a pet store. I simply did not know better at the time. In my defence, this is not a mall store but a small family pet store run from a strip mall. I asked the gentleman at the time where they got their puppies (because I didn't want to deal with anybody who was getting dogs from a puppy mill) and he told me they bought them from local folks and sold them for a slight mark-up. It sounded reasonable. When we walked into the store, my wife did not know that I had more or less decided that I wanted a dog. We walked into the store and walked to the puppy area. This was fairly typical to us as we both love animals. There was a litter of 2 brothers a 2 sisters, lab/shepherd mixes. They were all sleeping except for one, who lifted his head and looked me right in the eyes and kept my stare. I knew right away that was the puppy I would be taking home. That was Sam. We had him brought out and played with him a little bit, at which point I told my wife that I would like to get a dog, and she started to cry. We put Sam on hold and went over to the coffee shop and spent the next 2 hours talking about what was involved with owning a dog and how this was lifetime committment. I remember that we even called my inlaws and talked about all our concerns and how we were having a hard time with this decision. I kept stressing that this isn't like buying a TV, this is a sentient being that will live with us for the next 10 or (God-willing) 15 years. This is a life altering decision. In the end, we decided on getting Sam and went back to get him. To the credit of this pet store, they had had all the puppies examined by a vet. Unfortunately, Sam had a heart murmur (he was only two months old) and they guaranteed us a full refund if our vet said there were any major medical problems. I turned to my wife and said "We have to decide now because if we bring this dog home, we are not returning him as if he were a defective toaster." We decided to take him. He cried all the way home in the car, but once we got back home (or apartment, at the time) he was very happy to be with us, and he turned into the most wonderful dog. My friend, my buddy, my Sam. Thankfully, his heart murmur was a puppy related condition which soon passed. When we moved into our first house, I had decided that Sam was not allowed upstairs (it was a 2 story) because the upstairs was all carpeted and I wanted to keep the house in good order. To his credit, Sam learned to stay downstairs, although I did catch him upstairs a couple of times licking my wife's face. All I had to say was "What are you doing up here?!?" and he would race back downstairs. Then one night my wife and I saw a show on TLC about dogs in Vietnam while we were in bed. It was just story after story about dogs sacrificing their lives to save their handlers and about handlers having to leave dogs in Vietnam to meet certain death. I think we were both crying 5 minutes into the show throught to the end. At the end of the show, I called out "Sam" and he immediately came running up the stair and got into bed between us. He has slept with us ever since. After approximately a year of having Sam, my wife and I started thinking about getting another dog. We were a little more 'sensitive' at this point, and decided to get our next dog from the Animal Shelter. My wife and I went to the one nearest our home, and we walked around looking at all the dogs. Friends, it was one of the most depressing experiences of my life. We had to step into this anti-tick bath before we walked in, and the smell was awful. And the sound, cage upon cage of lonely canine barking and howling in dispair. As we made the rounds, many stuck their paws through the bars at us, as if desperately trying make a connection. "Please take me, I hate it here". I make the following comment with great hesitation because I, in no way, what to minimize or demean what occured in WW2 and what people went throught, but that day, the animal shelter reminded me of a concetration camp. I was horrified. This place could not be real. This was canine hell. Amidst all the barking and howling was this quiet little German Shepherd puppy, covered in his own excrement, all by himself in a cage. We learned that his mother and his siblings had been brought in together as strays, and that they had all been adopted except him. He was so sad and miserable, all alone in his cage. This was Travis We talked about it briefly and decided that we should bring Sam over to meet Travis. My wife left in our car to get Sam while I stayed at the shelter to reserve Travis. While she was gone, I was sitting on a bench and suddenly found myself overwhelmed by all the barking, howling and the emotions of the day. I got up and went over to a bulletin board with a number of annoucements. I stood there pretending to read, tears streaming down my face. I could not contemplate that so many people would give dogs up. How is it that I would lay my life down for my one dog but others would so casually give them up, like old clothing. It was beyond me. I felt sick. My wife finally returned with Sam and Travis and him were brought out to a common play area and hit it off right away. We immediately decide to adopt Travis. We brought him home, bathed him, and Sam and him immediately became inseperable. To this day, when we ask one of them "Where's your bro?" he immediately starts searching for the other. They are, we are, family. Thank you for reading thus far. It feels good to express these feelings. I'd love to share some more thoughts/feelings in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smooshie Posted November 16, 2002 Share Posted November 16, 2002 Oh yeah...you are [color=red][b]definately[/b][/color] in the right place !! (I love the bumblebee-girl analogy.. :lol: ..wasn't it a Blind Melon song??). First off, welcome to the board Eric and thank you for sharing your story! I think I speak for most,if not all of us in here when I say we can all relate.We all treat our dogs like children,and I for one have spent many nights teetering on the edge of the bed so that my "baby" could stretch out and be more comfy :roll: :wink: .Kudos to you and your wife for rescuing Sam and Travis (I know Sam came from a pet store,but I still consider that a "rescue" :wink: )You sound like wonderful parents to your furkids,and I look forward to hearing more about them and hopefully seeing some pics :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bk_blue Posted November 16, 2002 Share Posted November 16, 2002 Welcome Eric :D , please ignore my post on the other topic, I replied to that before I noticed this thread. :oops: You sound like a great "dad" and don't worry, I can't go into the local dogs' home here without bawling and all those dogs are clean and well-cared for too :cry: :cry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mouseatthebusstop Posted November 16, 2002 Share Posted November 16, 2002 :) YOU HAVE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE. WE ALL THINK LIKE YOU. WELCOME ABOARD :smilecolros: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 16, 2002 Share Posted November 16, 2002 Wonderful story, and you and your wife sound like PURRFECT pet owners. Many people don't know about petstore pets nor about the owners of the shops who lie through their teeth, but yours had a happy outcome and were "educated". It's also nice to hear that a first time dog owner became such a dog lover. Sometimes, it's hard for people who've never had a dog before to know that dogs want to be inside and part of the family and not outside looking in at the family. Best wishes to the 4 of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corgilady Posted November 16, 2002 Share Posted November 16, 2002 :D Welcome Sam! So glad to have you....err.... aboard. Not only do I sleep with dogs, now that one of them has a back problem I am thinking about dismantling the bed and setting the mattress/boxspring on the floor so he can get on it better! :oops: Corgilady Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolk9s Posted November 17, 2002 Share Posted November 17, 2002 Hey Eric, welcome to da family! Lovely story of how you and your wife came to be a two dog family. Two of mine are snuggled on the bed as I type, the other is on the couch but the CHAIR IS MINE! ALL MINE! 8) Tho I invite dogs up for snuggles, one at a time of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric Posted November 17, 2002 Author Share Posted November 17, 2002 Thank you all and thank you for making me feel more welcome. I know I'm going to fit in just fine :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 17, 2002 Share Posted November 17, 2002 Welcome Eric!! It's me Latesmom errr I mean Jacsmom hope you enjoy the board!! :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shorty Posted November 17, 2002 Share Posted November 17, 2002 What a great story.Thank you for sharing it.Welcome to the board.You sound like wonderful furkid parents! :D Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted November 19, 2002 Share Posted November 19, 2002 [quote name='corgilady']:D Welcome Sam! So glad to have you....err.... aboard. Not only do I sleep with dogs, now that one of them has a back problem I am thinking about dismantling the bed and setting the mattress/boxspring on the floor so he can get on it better! :oops: Corgilady[/quote] Welcome Eric! Corgi....maybe instead of the dismantling...get a step stool for him to get on first??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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