tick-tock goes the puppy clock.

“The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.”
Samuel Butler 

They say when a woman reaches a certain point in her life, she covets every baby she sees. Every infant that crosses her line of sight becomes the cutest, most desirable child to ever be born. Well, friends, I’ve reached that point — with puppies.

I’ve always been an animal person. When my jr. high peers were greedily baby-sitting, I was putting toddlers down early to play with the dogs. I know my neighbors’ pets names while having never once introduced myself to my neighbors (I’m looking at you, Sam and that blond lady you’re always with!). I try to be fair about the matter: animals are not, for all our romanticized personification, humans. They don’t operate on the same plane with the same needs as we do. I get it, really, I do. But that doesn’t diminish them. They might not love like we love, but they love in their way. A happy, healthy pet has a personality and disposition, a set of quirks and whims that enables a unique relationship. Many times I look at my cat, Liam, right after he’s horked up a piece of plastic or my sweater, and I think, “You dirty little animal.” Then he looks up at me with those green lamp eyes, jumps beside me, wraps his little arm around mine and starts purring, and I think, “You dirty little animal — you know exactly what you’re doing. God, I love you.” Their companionship is easy on good days, and still rewarding on bad — a trait they share with my closest friends.

I love my cat and, in his feline way, he loves me back. He is the first pet that was genuinely mine. I wouldn’t give him up for the world. But, truthfully, my life isn’t complete without a dog.

With the advent of a real job and adulthood, I’ve decided I can finally in good conscience adopt a puppy. Pet owners say you have the best chance of teaching a cat and dog to coexist peacefully if they are opposite genders and at least one of them is young. My own experience has taught me terriers are the best fit for me, because of their size, disposition, and general awesomeness. I’ve narrowed my search down to two breeds: a Yorkshire Terrier or a West Highland White Terrier.

I had a beloved Yorkie in high school. She was unnervingly clever, affectionate, and well-behaved. The joy of small terriers is that, unlike most toy breeds, they were bred with a purpose. The mill workers in Yorkshire weren’t trying to breed a lap dog, they wanted a hunter to catch the mice and rats in the factories. Later, they wanted a dog small enough to slip in their pockets when they poached on the local nobles’ land. Yorkies were bred with subversion in mind, and I don’t think that inclination has ever completely left them. Also, they are occasionally war heroes. So, assuming you didn’t get a sickly, inbred “teacup” Yorkie, you’re getting a real dog only in a very small package.

The same is true of the Westie (of Caesar Dog Food and Black & White scotch fame). Descended from a long line of hunting terriers, the Westie was developed so that its white coat would distinguish it from game and help hunters track it when its enthusiasm took it across the Scottish highlands. Though Westies can be two to three times larger than the Yorkie, they still have disproportionately large personalities — or, as the AKC website puts it, “no small amount of self-esteem.” They are known for their friendly, alert dispositions, trainability, and also general awesomeness. Neither breed sheds and both have a low to negligible amount of dander, reducing allergens and that “wet dog” smell. Also, both breeds are precious-pants. Consider the following:

A Westie puppy.

And a Yorkie puppy.

I’m trying really hard not to squeal over these pictures. 

So, the journey has begun. In six weeks I go for out-of-town training, and I’d like to have a puppy ready by the time I get back. Don’t tell Liam. And expect more ridiculous pictures in the weeks/months to come as I make my decision and welcome a new lil furball into the pack. 

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yes, he should.

The Obamas are on the look out for a Presidential Puppy. Sign an online petition reminding our president-elect that pet adoption is always a choice worth considering! Case in point: Liam-Pants (rescued from the Waco Humane Society, 2006).

In related news, Liam’s working on his first blog entry. It’s assured to be a precious reflection on him, and a sad, sad reflection on me. 

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