Of Old Men and Young Dogs

 

Hi, my name is George. Bethany and I are longtime sweethearts who live in Dalton, Georgia. Between us, we have four grown and nearly-grown sons. This is our first blog.  

Bethany and I gave a lot of thought to buying a puppy. B and I are longtime dog lovers and have owned a number of wonderful animals through the years, usually the larger variety. Now empty-nesters, and not having had a dog around for many years, we both really missed the unique companionship a dog can offer.

 

On the other hand, we both still work, and the challenge of raising a puppy was not something we considered lightly. I suppose I wanted to get a dog more than B, but she also loves them – and me – so we began our search for the wonder puppy.

 

Enter Hudson, an eight-week-old Cairn Terrier. We had looked online for a Cairn, since it’s a breed we both thought would be a perfect size for the limited back yard of our condominium. It’s a dog of incredible cuteness, as well; really, what’s not to like about Toto, the Cairn from “The Wizard of Oz?”

 

We found Hudson about 120 miles from where we live, and we chose him from a photo the breeder e-mailed to us. 

The day before we went to fetch him, we prepared for his arrival with a remarkably expensive trip toPetco to buy the requisite supplies for puppy ownership: crate, feeding bowls, collar & leash, multiple toys, treats (Bully Nuggets), and a gymbag-sized carrier. A very helpful Petco associate advised us to hold off on buying food until we learned what the breeder was feeding. 

So, on Saturday, March 9, 2013, we drove to Lawrenceville, GA, to meet and bring our puppy home. Hudson was as pretty as his picture, although a lot smaller than B or I had imagined.  

Hudson’s owner is a hobby breeder, and she had raised the puppies of Hudson’s litter entirely inside her condominium – something we realized when we first put Hudson on the grass outside to relieve himself before we returned home. The grass was a totally alien world for this small puppy, and he didn’t like it at all. 

The journey home – Hudson in B’s arms rather than the carrier – was uneventful, although I did stop and let him try to go outside again; it was clear he had no affinity for the natural environment – not yet, at least.