Zombies, sharks, scarves, cooking, cleaning, puzzles, labeling pictures — so many things to do. How about making a move that actually matters? As I walked past the many happy dog-walkers outside today, I had a brainstorm: PUPPIES!
This is the ideal time to foster a lonely dog. Here we sit, facing weeks and maybe more weeks at home. Do you have a stable dwelling place, preferably with a fenced yard? Especially in colder climates, a yard proves incredibly helpful. But if you enjoy taking multiple walks daily, that yard may be optional. You could even go straight for the jugular and buy yourself a new puppy of your very own.
(Maybe. My brother-in-law just informed there is a shortage of puppies in this area. Apparently his neighbor struggled hard to add a pooch to his family. Such a strange world right now…)
I remember warm summer nights getting up at 2 A.M. to take an eight-pound, red, curly-haired terrier out to the patch of grass in front or back of the house. Dog training doesn’t take long, but it does take steady and persistent. That dog eventually broke fifty pounds, but she could be trusted outside the crate before the end of summer break.
Well, we can sleep in right now, many of us. That middle of the night pee break does not pose the usual challenges. We can put down a blanket and sit or lay down in the yard while tossing sticks. Many of us are walking all over the place, with or without leashes. We have plenty of time to stash the shoes and other chewables.
Some dog needs you right now, if you are in position to add to your family. I’m sure many areas still have surplus puppies and older companions. Those older dogs are hoping desperately for a forever home, and would prefer a foster home to a big cage-filled barn with howls and concrete floors. Feel like being a hero? That dog who wants nothing more than to curl up at your feet and jump with joy when you walk in the door is waiting out there, hoping to be rescued.
Caveat: This choice requires careful thought. Can you give a dog the exercise and care required? What will happen when you go back to work? Are you in the right location and life stage to bring a critter into the house? Will your chewed-up shoes, underwear and couch pillows stress you too greatly? Like human babies, puppies will put the weirdest stuff in their mouths for the first year or two, until they are trained. If you have never had a dog, I recommend a long talk with friends who do. I also recommend researching breeds and spending time with any prospects. Rescue dogs are another category. Not all have been well-trained, although I subscribe to the notion that most older dogs can learn new behaviors. Maybe the greatest thing about dogs is how much they want to make YOU happy.
