Can I have Puppy

 


    “Can I have a puppy?” This became the mantra of our 6-year-old daughter for the next 4 years. We bought her an entire set of stuffed black Labradors (all named Blackie) that ranged in size from “it fits in my hand” to “there is no room for me in the bed.” “Can I have a puppy?” We bought her a  computerized dog that followed her everywhere and barked at the appropriate dog barking times. “Can I have a puppy?”

    When she was 8 she doggie sat for a friend’s cocker spaniel named Harry and did her best to show us that she could walk him and feed him and clean up after him. Still, no giving in to the daily “Can I have a puppy? As she was nearing her 10th birthday Kaitlin decided to adopt the lizards living in our back-yard block wall. She named them and did her best to feed them potato chips. “Can I have a puppy?”

     A writing assignment was given at school to all the students to form a persuasive paragraph. Kaitlin used this opportunity to convince us that she was mature enough and responsible enough to get her puppy. Her teacher shared that paper with us and her father and I talked and decided that maybe we should get her a puppy for her 10th birthday. I jumped on his momentary feeling of generosity and found a family that bred cocker and springer spaniel mixes. They just happened to have 2 males left from their latest 6-week-old litter. I picked Kaitlin and her sister up from school and told them that we had a special errand to run. At some point before we arrived at the puppy’s home, she guessed what was going on. The excited energy was rebounding all over the car.  The doggie parents brought out the two puppies – one was a little bigger and friendlier than the other and that’s the one she fell in love with at first sight. Sorry little guy, today is your brother’s day. Kaitlin held on to the new puppy that could fit in her hand just like the littlest Blackie. All the way home we tried out different names until she came up with the perfect name.  Chuck. 

    I’m not sure what Chuck thought he was but whatever that was he put Kaitlin in the same species. He  treated her differently than anyone else in the house. They were totally connected and clearly made for each other.  “Can I have a puppy?” Yes, my daughter, you can have a puppy.


#puppy #newpuppy #puppylove

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