Little Piece of Heaven

Have I mentioned how much I love having an awesome back yard to spend time in?

Last weekend, Joe and his now live-in girlfriend, Dez, showed up unexpectedly bearing meat and potatoes ready for the grill — sirloin steaks cut from cattle that was farm-raised by his sister. I harvested fresh, green, leafy romaine from our garden, and mixed up a quick salad. We called up another buddy, Reno (his name is also Chuck), to come by, and we spent the evening sharing good food, good drink, and good conversation.

It reminded me of a night many months ago. Before Joe met Dez, when he was still living the single scene, he brought a date by one evening for a drink. As soon as we walked out back and took a seat under the covered patio, she exclaimed in her thick southern accent, "Oh, my gosh! Well, now, this is just a little piece of heaven out here!" She turned out to be a total nut job, but it still made me giggle and made me feel proud of our handy work.

Monday morning, Chuck and I got up early for a morning walk around the neighborhood. Many of our neighbors have fenced in back yards like ours, and of those, most have pets. We hadn’t talked much through the first half of our stroll, but suddenly, as if we’d been having some kind of telepathic conversation, we both blurted out in unison, "I think we should get a dog!" It was totally weird. Even stranger, we both already knew what kind of dog we wanted, and for the first time, we had the same thing in mind… an English Bulldog.

Now, over the last year, we’ve had several conversations about getting a new pet, and we’ve always put the idea to rest for one reason or another. Chuck likes big dogs, and I like small dogs. He’s always kept dogs outside, and I like indoor pets. His dogs have always been more like protectors or watch dogs, whereas I treat mine like a family member. Not to mention, we already have a zoo with two huge aquariums and three kitties. Whatever dog we were to get would have to have the right temperament to get along with both the girls and the cats.

Chuck gets his bad habits honest (he learned from his father), but he’s always gone about raising and owning a dog the wrong way. He’s never considered animals as pets. They’ve always had a purpose. It’s obvious his attitude has changed, though, since I’ve been living with him. It took him awhile to get used to having cats in the house and to my constant doting on them. But now, I often catch him snuggled up with one (or all) of them on the couch, and he’s become quite attached. Yes, I think it’s finally time to teach him the proper way to own a dog — breed and breeder selection, training, socialization, and most of all, love.

We’ve decided on an English Bulldog for many reasons. Most importantly, though the bullie is protective of its family and can sometimes have a menacing appearance, they are known for being loving and gentle with both children and other animals, including cats. Bullies are also considered a medium sized breed, large enough for Chuck’s tastes, but small enough for mine. They’re very sensitive to heat, but because they are smaller, they can be a primarily indoor pet. Also, bullies love attention, and I love to give attention to my pets. They do have some health concerns, but most can be avoided with proper care and environment. For instance, you have to clean their wrinkly, little face daily, their eyes have to be kept clean, and they need daily exercise to avoid becoming overweight and developing heart problems — all things I can definitely handle.

I’ve already checked online with the AKC and the BCA (Bulldog Club of America) to find reputable breeders in my area, and we have an appointment near Dallas this weekend to visit with (inspect) a breeder and see some available pups. I spoke with her last night for quite awhile, and she seemed very knowledgable and sincerely concerned that her puppies go to loving, prepared homes. Cross your fingers that it works out!

Cheers!
Felina