Sigh. I’m really stressed because I fell in love again. With a dog. The last time this happened, I ended up buying a dog from one of my least favorite breeds: the chihuahua. That’s how I am, I never get dogs based on breeds. I don’t tell myself, “okay, I’m getting a poodle”, then go out and look for the best poodle I could find based on my budget. I’d usually hold off buying any more pets. If I could get rescued animals, I would. One of my cats, Aras, we rescued from an island in Batangas. But my problem is, once I fall in love with a specific dog, regardless of the breed, I’m hooked. Just like how it was with my chihuahua, Nairobi.
I was NEVER a fan of chihuahuas. I always thought they looked a little creepy (they always reminded me of those “Chucky” dolls), I don’t like their general temperament, and I don’t like small dogs, period. The smallest dog I’ve ever gotten was a beagle. But when I saw her in a pet shop (that’s another thing, I usually don’t buy dogs from pet shops, I get my dogs from breeders), it was love at first sight. Every bone in my body, everything I’ve learned from decades of caring for animals, told me NOT to buy a dog on the basis of impulse. But I couldn’t walk away. The idea that she’ll go to some bratty kid (chihuahuas aren’t good with small children) who’ll pull her tail and make her miserable was driving me to an early grave. I gave myself one day to decide. I told myself if she was still there after a day, I’d get her. She was, so I did.
Back to the new dog. Same thing happened earlier, as we were walking in Tiendesitas just as we always did a million times before, seeing the cutest dogs on the planet, but I never had the same impulse as I did with Nairobi almost 3 years ago…until now. The moment I laid eyes on him, I knew I was in trouble. I tried to look away, I tried to walk away, but the next thing I knew, I was cradling that little rascal in my arms and he was nibbling on my shirt sleeve. I swear I heard him whimper, “Daddy…!” Again, I’m giving myself until tomorrow to decide. You’ll find out soon enough if I went for it or not. Either I’d be perkily posting post-purchase puppy pics, or I’d be lugubriously laboring over a long letter lamenting a lapdog loss. I really don’t know what to do. I hope I make the right decision….
