I have a problem...

A puppy problem! Which if you think about it, is actually a pretty adorable problem to have. Except the problem is that I don't actually have a puppy. Hmpf. This is a BIG hole in my life. I think about getting a dog daily. I  may or may not have an entire pinterest board dedicated to reasons I need a puppy which I tend to forward to Dt on a regular basis. What? You don't do this? You and your bf are missing out! Some of my favorites include

all pics via Pinterest

The thing is, I'm a firm believer in being 100% ready before adopting a dog. It is one of my biggest pet peeves (no pun intended, haha!) when people get pets without thinking it through. A dog is a commitment for the rest of that dog's lifetime. They are not just for entertainment, distractions, or to love until they pee on your carpet. Dog owners need to practice unconditional love, have extreme amounts of patience when training them (and they ALL need to be trained), and have the time to dedicate to walking, playing, and taking care of them as long as they need it. While I have a serious yearning for a dog, I want to be sure I have the time and financial means to support a dog. 

One of the blogs I read, All in my Twenties, recently talked about how some people get rid of their dogs when they have babies. I'm not talking about people who need to keep their baby safe because the dog is aggressive, but the people who feel like now that they have a real baby they can get rid of their dog-baby. This is absolutely unacceptable and a dog is not a part-time, temporary thing. Kristen's blog post definitely hit home for me because I know how common it is for people to not treat their pets like they should and I think it is disgusting.

To me, a dog is a part of the family. I believe dogs have feelings and it breaks their heart to be away from their owners. I also believe putting a dog in cage for 7 hours a day, taking it three feet outside your door to pee then bringing it back in for the rest of the night is the worst thing a person can do. That's animal cruelty!!! Yes, if a dog was dropped on my doorstep I know I would be the best pet owner I could be but when I decide to bring a dog into my life, it will be because I think we will be able to make each others lives better in every way. 

People who can't follow these commandments don't deserve a dog! 

So Dt and I will get a dog eventually (probably sooner rather than later) but I know we need to be fully prepared and until then, I will just yearn for puppy breath, puppy butts, and puppy snuggles. *Stepping down from my soap box.

If you are still reading, I would like to get to the reason I'm writing this post about puppies. It is because this week I read a book that spoke to my heart in ways a non dog-lover could never understand. 

via

Usually, I'm not big on book reviews. I read a lot of books so I just put them on my book list up there on the "50 in 2012" tab where you can see them. But this one I had to share. This is a memoir about Trixie Koontz, the famous author Dean Koontz's golden retriever. The book follows Trixie's life and chronicles all of the amazing things dogs are capable of. The best thing about this book is that it reminded me of my Halley-dog who we lost a little over two years ago. Halley shared many of the unique traits that Trixie had and reading all the funny stories made me miss her in the best way possible. We lost Halley in a similar way to how Dean and his wife lost Trixie (it's a memoir, I didn't spoil anything!) It also reminded me that certain people are just dog-people. We understand that dogs have personalities, thoughts, feelings, and a sense of humor. My family has always been dog-people and I can't wait until I have my own dog but this book is an amazing story about an amazing dog and I recommend it to anyone who is a dog-person. Loved it!

And for your enjoyment, an awkward Christmas picture of my siblings and our Halley as a puppy. Can you believe my mom sent this to all of our family and friends? Kill me!

RIP Halley-girl, we love you!

Do you have any puppy/dog pictures/stories you would like to share with me? I can live vicariously through you until I get one of my own!

Should the name of this post been "I'm a crazy dog person?" Because I 100% am and I fully accept it. I also don't mean to offend anyone who is not a dog person, as long as they don't get a dog. If you aren't a dog person, who got a dog anyway, then I fully mean to offend you. Sorry I'm not sorry.