Obviously, being "good with cats" is primary. So, she started searching, every once in a while showing me an irresistible face. Then a dog picture.
We decided to meet Jake at The Animal League of Green Valley, a no-kill shelter. He was obviously a submissive dog, which would be good. Annie and I spend enough time fighting about which of us is in charge. We asked about a sleepover, and were refused - they don't do that. They required that we bring our motorhome to them to see how Jake responded to six cats and a rolling home.
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| He did not eat the other five, either. |
He responded well. There was even a nice nose-to-nose with one of the cats.
Adopting a companion is a judge-y affair. I'm sure you're very nice people, but you live in WHAT? The staff and volunteers think very highly of Jake, and one of our staff escorts thought he was settling. Jake, you can do so much better! Hold out for a home with a dog!
Staff: It's not bad, but it's not ideal. He should go with another dog.
Volunteer: That's the only issue. Sometimes there are two or three issues, and we go ahead with the adoption.
Staff: That's true.
Volunteer: It's bigger than his kennel!
On our third visit, we went ready to take him home.
TA-DA!
Jake claims to be a lab X heeler, and is four years old. He has lovely manners, and has had some training in his past. There are separation issues, so we'll see how he relaxes into this life where there aren't so many or such long separations. For now, he loves to lay near us, lean against us, or sit on us.
While we're on domestic matters, our neighbor Fernand saw Annie's ring and asked if she had a husband in New York. She explained that we're together, and he said "Why not take a man with no wife? Two wives are good!" We laughed at his joke, but as he continue to explain the advantages we realized he wasn't exactly kidding.
Or jokes in Congo are longer than ours. He got uncomfortably specific (there would be one bed). We would all work doing landscaping. As he left he held both our hands and prayed: Dear God, give me two good wives. Amen.
It could have been our fault, accidentally. We took him a housewarming gift of solar lights, and that was close enough to a dowry.
