On a warm summer evening, Dan and I were having a beer on the patio of a local brewery and he was trying to figure out how to edit his apartment listing on Facebook Marketplace. I tried to help and ended up saying I was interested in some bookshelves that were for sale. I wasn’t first in line and figured it was no big deal. But then the lady contacted me the next day and asked if I wanted them and I felt bad so I said yes, and then we were on our way to Girard to pick up shelves I didn’t really need, but figured we could find a use for them.
When we got out of the truck, a black dog, younger and skinnier than Sam came running around the house. She was adorable and we learned she was an 18-month=old flat-coated retriever from a breeder in Edinboro. We love the flat-coat breed because that’s what we think Sam is and he is the best dog ever. So I immediately followed the breeder on Facebook. There, I learned they had just bred their female again.
I’ve never had two dogs in my life but, lately, the idea of losing Sam, who is 10, has been on my mind and I thought maybe I should get another dog before he dies so that he can help raise the puppy …and it might actually be good for him as he’d definitely get more exercise.
When the puppies were born and photos/videos posted on Facebook, I was smitten and we filled out the 10-page application to adopt one. Then, I learned they were more than $3K and I was like…ummmm…wow. I just didn’t know if I could do that.
So I googled “flat-coated retriever rescue” and Hadley popped up, standing in blue baby pool, dripping wet and clearly happy. She was a four-month-old flat-coat/lab retriever mix from a kill shelter in Alabama who had been rescued by a group in Union City. Her foster mom said she loved water and other dogs. She was high energy, loved to run and go for walks, and she was OK with cats. It was like she was waiting for us — runners with a dog and a pool and woods (with a creek) who love to walk and run and hike.
I filled out an application and we arranged to see her on a Sunday afternoon. She. Was. Adorable. And, so loving and sweet. And, yes, FULL of energy, too.
A week later, she arrived for a two-week trial, and we were reminded how much work puppies are. And, yet, this dog! She’s so very, very sweet. Given the opportunity she will climb right into your lap, she frequently rests her head in my lap even when I’m ….ahem….in the bathroom. When I pet her, she often falls to the ground and rolls right over for belly rubs. She follows me around like a shadow and when she does settle down and rest, it’s always near me.
For the first few days, we crated her at night and when we went to work because she’s not quite potty trained, but just like with Sam, that didn’t last long before we tried leaving her out for short periods, usually contained to the kitchen/dining room area.
I once had a firm no-dogs-in-the-bedroom rule, but Sam’s been sneaking in and sleeping on the floor next to Dan’s side of the bed for a few months, so now Hadley has claimed the floor next to my side of the bed. At night, when I can’t sleep, I reach down and finger the soft fur on her ears while she snores. And I think about how she’s there because I accidentally bought some bookshelves I didn’t need.
Life is so weird.
________________________________________
About Just Write: Just Write is my adaptation of free writing, a technique in which a person writes continuously and quickly without little regard for spelling, grammar, or topic. It helps writers overcome blocks of apathy and explore everything from meaningful topics to mundane observations with the same effort and without the pressure of crafting perfect prose. I just start writing.