Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 89674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89674 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Beau
The sorrow reflected in all the dogs’ eyes tore me up. If I had my way, I’d take them all out of this no-kill shelter and find new homes for them to live out their days happily. I walked the aisle lined with cages, keeping my focus on a German shepherd mix.
“Here they are,” an attendant said, entering the room a few moments after me. I noticed a top cage behind the door that I’d missed when I’d walked in. Four pint-size puppies were inside.
“What happened to bring them here?” I asked. The best I could tell, they looked very much like purebred shepherds.
“Their mom had to move across country with her owners,” she explained. “They’re new here. Six weeks old and have had their shots.”
I stood in front of the cage, peering inside. Two of the little ones caught my attention. They roughhoused together, jumping and rolling around each other. They were cute. I hadn’t considered adopting two, but they seemed to fit really well together.
“These two,” I said, pointing to the playful duo. “What’s it like to raise two German shepherds?”
“They’re generally intelligent dogs. They’re playful, loyal, and full of energy. With proper training, they can be great companions. I think taking two will help with separation anxiety. The number one downfall of German shepherds is the shedding. It’s a daily battle to keep up with the hair.”
Hmm. Given the smallish townhouse I’d just rented across the street from the ocean, I didn’t imagine it’d be too much trouble to sweep up the hair.
A wave of melancholy rolled over my heart. If Dash were here, he’d have researched all the facts about all dogs, knowing the advantages and disadvantages of each breed. But I needed something to occupy my mind and fill my time. Without giving it much more thought, I pointed again to the two puppies that had caught my attention. “How about those two?”
“They’re cute. Always rambunctious,” she said, not too concerned to open the cage to reach in for their collars, then verified the information on the clipboard in hand. “One’s a male, the other’s a female. They’ve been given the name Dixie and Duke, but you can change them if you want. Of course, you can, they’d be your animals.”
Her questioning gaze lifted to mine.
“Is it a problem to have a boy and a girl?” I asked.
“No, it’s actually better for the family dynamic.”
Okay. My head swiveled back to the pups. I got momentarily lost in the coincidence of all the D names in my life. Suddenly, the one on top, lifted its head and stared at me intently. My heart connected in a big way. The other, the one pinned down, followed the look from its upside down position. The three of us bonded in that moment. So I was doing this, and they’d keep their names.
“Can you help with training? I need to get them potty trained, then trained trained. If that makes sense.”
“Absolutely. We’ll provide you with several resources to look into. We have a potty-training pamphlet. It’s not difficult to train. Consistency’s the key,” she said, nodding in encouragement. I nodded too. Why? I didn’t know.
By the time we talked it all out and I paid the fees, and signed the paperwork, the puppies were brought to me. They were so stinking cute in their shared carrying case. Except, for the first time since entering this kennel, I became intimidated.
What did I know about taking care of anything? I didn’t even have a job yet, but I did have a fat bank account from ten years of working while barely spending a dime. I was still anxious as hell as I took the handle of the case and lifted it to stare at the two beings inside. Man, I was an emotional mess. Forget the intimidation. A burst of joy ran over me, and it was a beautiful feeling I hadn’t experienced in years.
“We’ll help you carry everything out,” she said, not waiting for my reply. She scooped up a small box she prepared, filling it with food and other essentials they said I’d need.
“Nah, I hadn’t gotten that far. I wasn’t completely sure I was adopting today,” I said, putting the puppies’ crate in the back seat, placing the box in beside them.
“All right, enjoy your pups. I packed instructions for neutering and spaying so you can educate yourself. They’ll need special care post-op,” she said as I got into the cab and started the engine. My phone connected to the truck and then simultaneously rang. I barely glanced at the caller’s name, feeling like it was one of Dash’s many calls a day, but this time, my mom’s name appeared on the screen.
“I have to take this,” I said, reaching for the armrest to shut the truck’s door. “We’ll see you next week.”