I was NOT planning on obtaining a new puppy anytime soon. I remember begging my dad to allow me get a Lab puppy about a year ago and it was an absolute No. I was about to find out about vet school and we didn't know where I was going to live, etc. Well, looking back it would have been a perfect time to get a puppy because I just ended up living at home! But, I kind of forgot about wanting a puppy. I just said I would wait until I got my own place.
Then Friday the 13th, this little pup squeezed his way into my life.
He was sitting on the side of the road at
just the right time.
You know, I have NEVER seen a
puppy on the side of the road? Of course... I picked Lola up off the road but, she was almost full grown.
You always hear about people dropping puppies off on dirt roads or leaving them on the sides of big highways... but I had never seen one until Friday. I guess people just pick them up pretty quickly or... the other happens.
The other as in... what would have happened to this puppy if I wouldn't have stopped to get him.
I whizzed past him and the second I got next to him he ducked down and curled up into a little ball on the side of the highway. He had that "please help me" look on his face. He looked like one of those puppies on the anti-animal abuse commercials.
My nursing friend, Karen, that I car pool the hour drive to school with said "Oh my goodness!! We can't leave him!!" I said, "Ok... we'll turn around but we're only going to look at him!"
Yeah Right, Molly.
Anyone that knows me knows that I am a
sucker for animals. Any Animal.
I turned the car around and turned onto the little country road that he was sitting next to. I stopped the car and those precious eyes lit up and he started running towards my car. I stepped out of my car and grabbed him up. He literally collapsed in my arms with a sigh of relief. He was skin and bones with a wormy belly to boot. As I was getting back into my car a mennonite drove up and rolled the window down. I held him out offering him to the lady and said "Is he yours?!" She replied with a no and drove off quickly. I got a cup and put a few ice cubes from my diet coke in it... he licked at them and quickly crashed into a deep sleep. He slept in my lap for the remaining 25 minutes that we had left to get back to my house. Karen was smitten over this dog, but she has two 9 week puppies herself and couldn't take him on as well.
Once home, I gave him some of Lola's food and some fresh water. Then I gave him a bath. He was so filthy, matted with black tar looking stuff...
I decided I would take him to work with me and show him to my dad. Well, dad knows just how I am. (: Don't cha dad! I have asked for a lab puppy, and when I worked at the vet I asked for this dog that they might put down, asked for this golden retriever that was brought to the vet that would soon go to adopt a golden, and on and on and on! All of them were No, No, No, No!
Well, Dad saw this puppy and he just smiled. I said "Dad, you want a puppy?" He said, where'd you get him?! I told him the story and he said "Well he's cute enough I bet you can find him a home!" So, I posted on Facebook and put his picture up.
No interest on facebook. This same day at work the couple that rents our corner office said that they would be interested in taking him if I couldn't keep him. I was so happy that I had a good family for him if he couldn't stay with me!
I went by walmart and got a small bag of Iams puppy food and a toy. We got back to the house and I told dad that if I absolutely couldn't keep him for my new horse riding buddy that I had found him a good home. Well, he never said I couldn't keep him, so I am assuming that he gets to stay!
He is an outside puppy, but he knows no different! He loves it here and is so happy all the time. We live far enough off the road that I don't have to worry about that.... so outside he stays! Lola had to warm up to him... but now she loves playing with him and so does Tug and Cutie!
Coal.... not a fan.
But he wanted to play with them so bad!
He even played some golf with Josh!
More like.... I got the ball!!! Hahaha! You can't get it back!
My thinking is that I am going to train him to go on horse rides with me. It scares me to death sometimes to take a dog... because I have had one get hit by a car while riding horses, but she was ok! So, I really make sure they know to listen to me and stay behind my horse! They also have to know "Get off the road!!" Cutie pie learned that pretty quickly! So, Cutie Pie was my riding buddy for the past 11 years. She was such a great dog to take with me! She is now getting too old.... and she knows it too! She'll go every once and a while, but If I know that I am going to be gone for a while then I make her stay home. I had to carry her halfway home last time she went. So hopefully puppy will be my next riding buddy!
So, what's his name?!
I think I am going to call him Latch. It's not 100% set in stone, but I do love that name. I was also thinking about calling him Doc/Dock. Also, Todd just popped into my head. I like that too! Dad, do you have any ideas?!?
I got Latch from Josh's grandmother's maiden name. She is from Louisiana and they have awesome last names there! haha! Latiolais is her maiden name. Pronounced Latch-o-lay. I just think it's kinda cool and you may think that I am weird!! ;)
So that is his story!
p.s. This is my 200th post! :)
