The dogs...

I was never a dog person. A couple of years ago I didn't even like dogs. I thought they were cute from a distance but I didn't want anything to do with them. I hated seeing dogs while I was running as I always felt like their goal was to tackle me and interrupt my time outside. For our first three years of marriage, Andrew and I never even talked about owning a dog. He had a dog for a short time in his life named Jack that found a happy home on a farm. According to his grandmother it is the only thing he ever loved and that is why he married young.

and then we went to Deerfoot.

Deerfoot, the best place in the world and summer home to Rusty, an energetic yellow lab. Deerfoot, an all boy camp on Lake Whitaker in the beautiful Adirondacks is incredibly isolated. Moose, bears, deer, and a host of other animals take refuge in the pristine surroundings. We lived in a small cabin without electricity and my relaxed days as a camp lady gave me plenty of time to run. I didn't always relish the idea of running alone in the woods and Rusty loved to run in the woods. We were a match made in heaven. Nearly every day that I ran, I would swing by Rusty's house and pick him up for an early morning dash. On the days I visited his people and wasn't running he would whine and give me the attention only a lab can give. When another camp lady arrived and I did long runs with her by his house I could hear him talking inside and asking his owners why he didn't get to join me.

When we arrived in Morgantown after my summer of running with Rusty, I missed having a dog around. I missed the mandatory sniff breaks, pee breaks, poop breaks, water breaks, etc. I missed having a dog nearby to keep me company as I pounded out mile after mile. I missed the safe feeling I had when Rusty was along and decided that we should get a dog.

Andrew was immediately on board. One month after leaving Deerfoot we starting looking at local shelters. We found a few that we liked but eventually ended up with Stella, a beautiful mutt with floppy ears, a colorful coat and unmatched endurance. She was the perfect running dog. We ran everywhere together. She impressively ran 30 miles with me one day and didn't even act sore.

Once we had Stella, Andrew kept looking at petfinder and dropping hints that having a second dog would be nice. I did not want dog #2. He mentioned it often and would wander over to the pound to check out the local selection. In a moment of weakness after I an incredibly long day, we ended up with Tessa, the most annoying border collie/blue heeler puppy in the world. I hated her. I wanted to take her back. She barked. She chewed holes in our walls. She stole brownies off the table. She wanted to play fetch with EVERYTHING. She stole our socks. She stole our shoes. She chewed the coffee table. She chewed the kitchen table. She escaped from her crate when we were gone. She pooped on the couch. She would throw "sit down" strikes while we were walking when she thought we'd gone far enough.

Stella and Tessa

But then she grew up. Andrew worked tirelessly with her to walk on a loose leash, taught her tricks and her vocabulary grew. I became pregnant with Ben and the dog that I once loathed decided she was my dog and began to sleep on my side of the bed. She learned directional words, she learned how to be calm(er) around other people, she learned how to catch a frisbee, and she let Andrew know when I was in labor.

Tessa

While Tessa was making her transformation from worst dog in the world to a companion we cherish, Stella turned out to be too feral for a home environment and we had to say good-bye on our vet's recommendation. She started trying to bite people and other dogs and with Ben in the oven, we were nervous to have her around. We were all saddened by her death and Andrew once again began looking at petfinder.

We adjusted to being a one dog family once again but not for long. Shortly after saying good-bye to Stella we became responsible for Brutus, a huge sweet Doberman. Tessa loved to bother him and enjoyed having a big dog around but he was never really "our" dog. When we got him into a Doberman rescue neither of us were upset because I was 7 months pregnant and a Doberman was never really in the plan.

Big Ole' Brutus

After Brutus left, Tessa was sad. Petfinder and craigslist once again received several hits a day from Andrew.

Seven weeks before Ben arrived, Tessa's dreams came true and we met a puppy and his family. Chopper a black lab/Austrailian Shepherd mix was the dog of the litter she liked. Tessa immediately let him know who was in charge and even though Chopper now outweighs Tessa and is several inches taller, she rules dog world in our house. He is the biggest snuggler in the world and likes to be in physical contact with at least one human at all times. He dotes on Ben and doesn't care if Ben grabs his paws, fur, tail, etc. Chopper is still a puppy and naturally I don't love him because I am a cold-hearted human who doesn't like puppies. He's chewed my Oakley's, flip flops, trail running shoes, water bottle, cell phone battery, car clicker, bike water bottles, etc. He steals food off the counter and stole a hot dog out of my hand. He jumps up. He tries to hold your hand with his mouth. In a few months however, I know that he too will not be a puppy and then I will love him.

Chopper

Now that we've embraced our lives as dog owners, I don't know how we can ever go back. Yes, they are still a pain at times and I hate finding Tessa's floating hairs everywhere, but I love watching their butts wiggle with excitement when I walk in the door after being gone for 30 seconds.