Jeff and I had both grown up with pets and wanted one of our own. We talked about it for a long time debating: cat vs. dog; walking a dog every day vs. litter boxes. Was it fair to have a dog in a two bedroom condo?
A stint watching Clyde Harold, a charismatic Maltese, helped us make up our minds. Our place was big enough for a dog; we didn't mind the daily walks.
Porthos, a beagle on the television show, Star Trek: Enterprise gave me the idea that a beagle would be a good choice. Shortly after that, I saw a flyer in the window of a neighborhood grocery store. A beagle needed a home; it was Spike.
Spike's first owner had been transferred to Georgia and left him with a co-worker. That co-worker, Sarah, was later transferred herself. She had two dogs and could only take one with her. She chose Leroy, the doberman-German shepherd mix that had lived with her for four years.
Sarah lived two blocks away from us. We walked over one day so we could meet Spike and Sarah could check us out. I remember she said something like, "If you want him..." She didn't even finish her sentence before Jeff said, "Of course we want him."
On Sunday March 24th, we went to pick him up. Sarah was waiting on the front lawn with Spike and his toys, dry food and bowls. She and I cried as she said goodbye and we took Spike to his new home.
It was a tough adjustment for Spike. Whenever he was left alone, he howled, scratched at the door and dug at the carpet. But he did make the adjustment to his new home.
That was nine years ago.
Some people say that Spike was lucky. It's true that no one could love him more than we do. But Jeff and I know that we are really the lucky ones.
A stint watching Clyde Harold, a charismatic Maltese, helped us make up our minds. Our place was big enough for a dog; we didn't mind the daily walks.
Porthos, a beagle on the television show, Star Trek: Enterprise gave me the idea that a beagle would be a good choice. Shortly after that, I saw a flyer in the window of a neighborhood grocery store. A beagle needed a home; it was Spike.
Spike's first owner had been transferred to Georgia and left him with a co-worker. That co-worker, Sarah, was later transferred herself. She had two dogs and could only take one with her. She chose Leroy, the doberman-German shepherd mix that had lived with her for four years.
Sarah lived two blocks away from us. We walked over one day so we could meet Spike and Sarah could check us out. I remember she said something like, "If you want him..." She didn't even finish her sentence before Jeff said, "Of course we want him."
On Sunday March 24th, we went to pick him up. Sarah was waiting on the front lawn with Spike and his toys, dry food and bowls. She and I cried as she said goodbye and we took Spike to his new home.
It was a tough adjustment for Spike. Whenever he was left alone, he howled, scratched at the door and dug at the carpet. But he did make the adjustment to his new home.
That was nine years ago.
Some people say that Spike was lucky. It's true that no one could love him more than we do. But Jeff and I know that we are really the lucky ones.
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