I am the last person who ever thought our family would end up with a dog. Yes, one of our children has been hounding us (see what I did there?) for the longest time to get one.
By the longest time, I mean years. There's been begging, pleading, wishing, and hoping. At every birthday and Christmas, her eyes lit up in wonder, trying to figure out if the present would be a dog. She presented us with elaborately designed slide decks and more.
We had told her that if we ever got a dog, it would be a rescue. We didn't want to buy a dog when so many need homes and people to love them.
We caved in a moment of weakness, and on one sunny but cold Saturday, we set off to "look" at dogs.
It wasn't great. There were a lot of dogs that needed more love than we could give. Our hearts went out to all of them. We had to say to our youngest, " See, this is why we can't get a dog." She was in tears at the thought of them not getting any love.
A 15-month-old Australian kelpie was behind the desk in one place we went to, not in his pen. He had an "adopt me" collar on his neck. Something in my gut told me he was the one, but we were just looking. He was so timid and well-trained. But it wasn't the type of dog she had her heart set on (she wanted the white fluffy "oodle" breed like everyone else in Melbourne has).
We drove away, all a little speechless and sad. Our hopes of finding the right dog were draining away. (I had been hoping that we wouldn't find one because I'm not a dog person.)
Then something happened. We all started talking about how we would be able to take care of him, how we could change things for him, and what colour his bed would be……
We had 40 minutes before they closed and were half an hour away. The car somehow turned around, and we headed back.
The staff remembered us and walked us and the pup to the meeting pen. It took a total of three minutes before we asked for the papers.
Duke was ours.
I have one happy daughter, and he has my heart like I can't explain. It turns out I am not a dog person, but I am a Duke person.
