Buy your bounce dog

My daughter is home from her vacation with her dad’s family, so today I took the day off work and we looked at puppies. Just in case. She has been adamant about her desire to have a Yorkshire Terrier. I am adamant that 1) Yorkies are hyperactive and 2) they are prohibitively expensive.

So I took her to the puppy store to see the Puggle (Pug/Beagle and MUCH cheaper) which I thought was adorable. Meanwhile, I felt ethically guilty about getting a dog from a front for a puppy mill. He held the Puggle up, but I could see his heart wasn’t in it. He looked past that dog to the Yorkies on the other side of the store. Those particular Yorkies were hyperactive, masculine, and more than we could afford. I told him I was sorry, we weren’t getting a Yorkie. No way. So she asked if she could get the tan and wrinkly Puggle.

Then I realized, luckily, I recognized something in my thought process. How many times had he said “No, this guy is GREAT, you’re going to love him”. wow. Here I was again, trying to influence her to like someone I liked. Those days are over!

I told him no, I couldn’t get the Puggle, because I didn’t love the dog and 12 or 15 years is a long time to always wish I had waited for someone else. Settling for the first cute thing that comes along has been a problem for me in the past (men, I mean). Worried that no one else might show up. What if that was my last chance, I wonder.

I refused to continue teaching Ivy my unhealthy patterns. We leave the store.

I expected a meltdown, but she agreed, took my hand and said, “Good, because I really want a Yorkie.”

When I got home I searched the local online classifieds and surprisingly found Yorkies for sale, for the same “low” price as that Puggle in the store. The cubs were raised in the house with their parents, siblings, and humans. It was a miracle. So we went to check it out.

There were two females available, nine weeks old. One hyperactive and one surprisingly calm and quiet. He had no idea the breed could produce a puppy with those traits. My daughter immediately fell in love and was thrilled. And frankly me too.

We spent almost an hour there, playing with the pup, and finally agreed that this was the pup for us. Ivy called her Lily. Lily keeps trying to snuggle up to Henry. He is not very welcoming, but I think he will warm up soon. He picked her up twice, but he hasn’t scratched her with her chubby kitten claws.

So, lessons learned today? How can I translate this puppy experience into human relationships?

-It is better not to settle because the person you should spend your life with could be just around the corner.

-If I ever date again, which I’m clearly not interested in right now, then I should be more open-minded. I resisted the idea of ​​this breed due to my misconceptions. Perhaps there were men over the years who never crossed my radar for the same reason. However, it’s a moot point because Lily will keep me satisfied for some time.

-Listen to your children. Ivy has never wavered from what she wanted. And now that she has it, she is more than happy.

-Do not force your beliefs or choices on your children. Let them want what they want, and respect it.

-Don’t be afraid to change your mind, admit you’re wrong and follow a new path.

I am enjoying my new path, enjoying using what I have learned from my mistakes to make this the best life possible for me and my little family, now bigger by one.