Joe and I kept a very big secret for two weeks before Christmas. Hannah’s biggest request for Christmas was a dog. Gracie died three years ago and Joe and I have gone back and forth over the years, debating on when to get another dog. I was really sad after Gracie died and I didn’t want one, because I didn’t want to love another dog and watch it die. Joe didn’t want another dog because of the added responsibility and expense. So, we agreed that maybe this Christmas, if the perfect opportunity presented itself, we might consider granting Hannah’s Christmas wish.
We didn’t want to spend a lot of money to get a full-blooded breed of any kind. So, we started looking on the animal shelter websites and on Craigs List. In the mean time, I mentioned to my friend, Lori, “What do you know about Beagles?” Because I had seen a cute beagle puppy on Craigs List. Lori has a sister-in-law, Cassie, that works in a veterinary clinic and Cassie helped Lori adopt her current dog.
Well, long story short. The next time Cassie saw Lori (Before Lori mentioned our quest for the perfect dog for our family) Cassie says to Lori, “Do you want a beagle?” One of her customers was looking for a good home for her 3 year old beagle because she traveled for work so much and had to board her dog nearly every weekend at the vet’s office. Cassie said the dog was one of the sweetest dogs she had ever met and she would take her into her home if she could. Lori got tears in her eyes because it was such a miracle that Cassie had told her all of this not knowing that we were researching beagles we had seen on Craigs List and wanted Cassie to keep her eyes out for a rescue dog we could adopt.
So two weeks before Christmas we went to meet, Bella. She was very sweet. Neither Joe nor I immediately fell in love with her, but the fact that she was free, came with a bed, toys, food, and treats , only weighed 22 pounds, was house-trained, doesn’t bark (much), is super friendly with the kids and doesn’t shed much, we knew she would be a great fit! Our super friends, Lori and Dave, even opened up their home to her for the two weeks before Christmas, so we could wait and surprise the kids on Christmas Eve with their new dog.
She was by far the favorite Christmas present and the kids continue to be enamored with her and they love walking her, feeding her, brushing her and playing with her. They truly are a big help in taking care of her, which makes it even nicer for Joe and I this time around. Carter is rough with her. He wants to wrestle and hit her every day, but she still loves him and is so patient. She is sooooo good to him. I would have been his worse enemy way before now if I were her, yet everyday she loves on him and plays with him. She is a great dog.
(Now if we could teach her not to whine in her kennel during every snack/meal time, she might be near perfect.) She and Carter can’t be trusted. He feeds her everything and she gladly accepts. She is a big mooch and food thief, so you do have to watch her around Carter. Hence the fact that she has to be crated every time the boy has food. She doesn’t care for that arrangement, but she is learning!
The girls love her so much and Carter loves her too in his 2 year old, rough-housing, boy way!
Christmas Eve pose with matching pjs and Bella’s matching necklace!
The first of many tackle hugs to come!
Her dog bed has had very little use since she arrived, but the girls love it when she sleeps with them!
1 comment:
Landree would love a dog! What a great Christmas surprise!
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