Meet Cody.  :)

I’ve been missing Goldie’s company a lot.  For those of you new to my crazy blogginess, you can read about my sweet Goldie here.   She’s been playing at Jesus’ feet now for about two and a half months, but my heart still thinks she is here.  I kept thinking I needed to let her back in the house, or that I heard her collar jingle, or I’d see her out of the corner of my eye laying in front of one of the doors.  

Dogs have always been a part of my life – always.  (Right, Dad?)  The only time I did not have one was during my college years.  In grad school, I rented a house from a professor on sabbatical and dog-sat his dogs for him for the year he was gone.  You guessed it – they were a Golden Retriever and another little rascal that looked like a little German Shepherd.

Then a second year, then the first year of marriage, then Chris succumbed to my manipulations to let me get Charlie, an Italian Greyhound.  I loved him, Chris not so much.  When we moved to Florida and both had to get full-time jobs, Charlie was not getting the attention that he (and most in his breed) need on a constant daily basis and I had to make the horribly heart-breaking decision to surrender him to the Italian Greyhound rescue organization.  His foster family ended up keeping him permanently and they could even take him to work with them!  Score for Charlie!  

Several months later, we were offered Goldie from a co-worker of Chris’s who could not keep her.  What a dream.  So, as you can see, I’ve spent very little time without a dog.  

I’ve been eyeing online rescue sites and other organizations for Goldens here and there, then on Friday afternoon I happened to spy an offer for a Golden Retriever on Freecycle.   However, she was eight years old.  Having small children who are not at an age to comprehend death, especially again so soon, might not lend itself to adopting another senior dog as much as I wanted to.  I did not want a tiny puppy though.  I’m not much for the tiny puppy stage. 

The discussions began.

Which breed?  Registered?  Puppy?  Younger dog?  Then we wondered off into…

Rescue?  Humane Society?  Animal Control?

We perused the websites for available dogs and spied a Golden mix puppy at the downtown location, but doubted he would be there by the time we got there.  Still, there might be other dogs?  We mapped out a plan to hit both Animal Control locations as well as the Humane Society and headed out with the kids on Saturday morning.  

I was a woman on a mission.  (Chris will tell you that is a dangerous thing.)

I felt like I was dating…or shopping for a wedding dress…waiting for that “I just know” moment.  Because I knew that when I saw the dog, I would just know.

First stop, Animal Control near our home.  Cute puppies, but nope…Chris liked one of the puppies there, though.  

(Unbelievable the number of pit bull mixes at all the locations.  Sad, really.)

Second stop, Humane Society.  Lots of dogs, puppies spoken for but none that said “take me” to me.  Very loud place, as you can imagine, but what a great organization.

We ventured downtown to the main Animal Control location…not really the best area of town, you know?  We signed in and walked the long sidewalk to the adoption building and I zoomed down the cages looking for a dog that could be ours.  

Chris said, “Tara, what about this one?”  I looked into the cage.

I knew.  

The cutest Golden mix puppy, the very same one we had seen on the website was, amazingly, still there.  I had no need to look any further.  He was three months old.  We asked to see him and play with him and off we went and it was an easy decision from there.  

I asked the lady helping us if puppies like him stay very long.  She replied, “I am actually surprised he has been here over twenty-four hours.”

I just knew.   That made me smile.  Was this an answer to prayer?

$40 (half-off Saturday) later we were gone and Cody was in my arms.  Do you know what that $40 dollars got us?  I am so impressed – a neutered puppy, all up-to-date shots, Frontline, and a microchip.  Seriously?  

Then we learned how they pay for it.  A family next to us came to retrieve their dog who had been, uh, impounded?  (Is that the right word?)  They took him home $250.00 later.  Many thanks to that family for paying for our dog’s surgery, shots, and microchip – in a round-a-bout kind of way, of course.   

The shelter named him Cody and I liked the name.  It fit.  G and S’s suggestions were “dog” and “puppy” respectively so Chris and I made an executive decision to go with a less-generic name, like, oh, I don’t know – say…”Cody”?  

He has been a dream.  We do not know how long he was stray for, his age is a guess, as is his breed – the staff vet’s best guess.  (I’ll hear my vet’s thoughts on this later today.)  But surely someone had him?  He is nearly already potty/housetrained and doing well with crate training.  In addition, there was a severe thunderstorm the first night he was here – he slept right through it.  Wow.  Goldie would’ve been in our bed.  

Ah, memories…

Time to create new ones and I cannot wait.

Oh, and just so you know…after we left Animal Control, riding home, I was holding Cody, and I said, “I can’t wait to go home and blog this.”

I’m so addicted.  Just be happy I didn’t lobby for a name that started with “G”.  Now THAT would be sad!

Giggles, Growing Up