(no subject)

[jianantonic]

I keep getting an error page when I try to log into my bank account this morning. Bah. This is annoying, because I'm a little bit obsessive over money, and even though I know pretty damn well exactly how much is there down to the penny, I won't be comforted until the bank confirms what I already know to be true. Fuckers.

I'm awake but still in bed so far this morning. When I eventually do crawl out of bed, my plans include a trip to the gym, swinging by the GNT game at the bridge place today to see if they want me to work, and possibly a trip to get my nails done. For some reason, I've stopped biting my nails, but since I've always bitten them, it's not like I know how to take care of them when they're long. I miss my nail dates with Gina in Harrisonburg. And I miss the clicky noises my fingernails made when I had the acrylic ones. It really is the little things in life...

Speaking of little things, I'm thinking of getting a puppy. Not a puppy to keep, just to foster and train to go off to doggy college after a few months. I know I'm not ready to make the commitment of raising an animal from its youth to the end of its natural life, so I don't want to do that, but my friend Helen was in this program where they give you the future helper dogs as puppies for you to train until they're something like 6 months or a year old when they go off to doggy college. You only have to train them basic commands like sit and heel and all the stuff you'd probably train your own dog anyway. I heard an ad on the radio saying volunteers were needed for the local program, so I'm going to call the number and see if it's something that might fit. When I mentioned this plan to Ahren, a loyal cat person who cannot love both dogs and cats, that would be a betrayal to cats, he made a face at me and said "Well, that's your call."

Side note, since I've never really explained the Ahren thing. He's from MN, but has stayed with me between bridge tourneys since last summer, and he decided to permanently move to Charlottesville (because it's awesome!) late last year. He's my roommate, bridge partner, and closest friend now and anything beyond that, well, I'm sure assumptions will be made.

Anyway he went on to say "Aren't you busy enough?"

Hmm, maybe I am. Between work, DI, the gym, bridge, and wanting to sleep, do I have time for a dog? And I think that yes, I do. But I'm going to think on it for a while longer before I make any decisions. I'm not sure that the apartment would stay nice and neat if we had a dog here. I'm not sure I wouldn't be allergic. So, eh, some things to think about. But with Ahren going away for two weeks on Sunday for more bridge, I know I'm going to feel lonely and even more in want of a dog.

I'd get a cat, but I'm far too allergic and there's no place for a litter box in this apartment. Sigh. I am a cat person myself, but not to the point where I won't let myself love a dog.

I miss Arlo.

Well, time to start the day.

Peace.

Comments

[flamingophoenix.livejournal.com]

I second this motion! Older homeless dogs tend to get overlooked, just like older homeless cats. Everyone wants a puppy, and all the older ones die.

Have you ever trained a dog before? (Given Chinquapin, I bet Becky and Henry had. They were the official people, right? Even though Helen and Lindsay were involved too?) That might be a prerequisite to raising a seeing eye dog.

Also: what are the consequences if you don't train the puppy right? Does it go to a shelter if you can't adopt it? (I'm sure you could then adopt it, just playing the advocate.)

One of my co-workers (two, actually) are really big on animal welfare and things, so I'm getting an education. ;-)

[flamingophoenix.livejournal.com]

Rereading that it sounds bad, so I want to add: If you talk to the puppy people and they accept you to the program, hooray! :-) Because that means that professionals (who know much more than I do) think you have the right kind of lifestyle for it.

[jianantonic.livejournal.com]

Well, after researching the local program, it doesn't seem you need to have owned a dog before, you just have to be good with them. Before they accept you, they make you spend two weeks (nonconsecutive days) with other dogs in the program to see how you do, and with other trainers. And you have to go to weekly classes the whole time you have the dog. So it's quite a commitment. It's also 18 months, which is a little longer than I'm really comfortable with right now, so I'm probably not going to apply at this point. Maybe one day. I've also considered fostering older animals. My major concern with that is that dogs' personalities are dramatically affected by their early lives, and if they're in shelters, what are the chances they've had a good upbringing? My brother has run into a lot of problems with the adult dogs he's adopted in the past. But it's still something I'm knocking around in my head.

Long story short, I really want pets, but beyond fish, I'm not sure if anything is realistic now.