In my opinion, there are two kinds of people in this world; people who love cats, and people who love dogs. A person can be fond of both types of species, but they can only be truly dedicated to one or the other.
I live in a two-bedroom apartment in South Philadelphia. I grew up with dogs in the house, and always wanted to get one of my own. I had to be very picky about choosing the right dog. I had inherited two very strong-willed cats by different means. (One followed me home from a bar one night, and the other I was cat-sitting for a friend, though she moved across the country without my knowledge, and a year later, I am still "cat-sitting.")
I needed a dog that was sociable with cats and children, who was laid-back, and who would be okay by itself for long periods of time while I was at work.
I started visiting local shelters and combing the Internet for dogs that fit the standards that I was looking for. I finally found an ad for a 4-year-old English Bulldog named Brittany and set up an appointment to meet her.
The dog was seriously one of the ugliest animals I had ever seen in my life. Brittany had a massive under-bite and a cleft lip. She had one lone fang that stuck out of her sagging, sloppy mouth. She had needed her lower eyelid partly removed for medical reasons and the aftermath of the surgery left the right side of her face looking like it was about to melt off of her skull. Proportionally, she looked like somebody fused the head of a Mastiff onto the body of a Beagle.
To make matters worse, my mother thought it would be hysterical to buy Brittany a pink, rhinestone collar and matching leash. Brittany now resembled Danny Devito in a prom dress.
The first night I had her, I did not want to leave her alone so I let her sleep in bed with me. Brittany took it upon herself to sprawl right in the middle of the bed. I tried desperately to move her to one side, but she became dead weight. It was a lot like trying to move a 50-pound boulder from the sofa. In the end, I gave up, and slept on the floor.
Brittany was a very sociable dog. She was a little diva and loved to be the center of attention. She did not mind the cats and loved children. She also was a dream when left alone. She did have a couple of weaknesses though, one of them being squirrels.
I did not realize how bad her obsession with squirrels was until I took her to the park for the very first time. It was 6 A.M. on a Monday, and I am not a morning person. Bleary eyed and stumbling, I let my dog lead me to the park. I had not even bothered to change out of my pajamas and my hair looked like that of a Troll doll. Once we arrived, she did her business, and then we proceeded to walk the length of the park. All of a sudden, a squirrel darted out from underneath the bushes, and Brittany almost yanked my arm out of its socket. English Bulldogs are shaped like bullets, and once set in motion, it is very hard to stop them, especially when one is still half asleep. Needless to say, it took me 20 minutes to catch my dog. We now avoid the park on weekdays.
I think owning a dog for the very first time makes you grow up a little bit. Your life is not completely your own anymore. You have to plan your days around your dog's potty schedule and feeding time. If you do decide to go on vacation, if even for a weekend, you have to find somebody to puppy-sit.
The city shelters are overflowing with unwanted animals. There has been much debate about overthrowing the No Kill Law that most of the city's shelters abide by now. I am so glad I had the chance to adopt Brittany and give her a new life. She might not be a pretty dog, but she has a pretty soul, and has made my life that much richer.
I live in a two-bedroom apartment in South Philadelphia. I grew up with dogs in the house, and always wanted to get one of my own. I had to be very picky about choosing the right dog. I had inherited two very strong-willed cats by different means. (One followed me home from a bar one night, and the other I was cat-sitting for a friend, though she moved across the country without my knowledge, and a year later, I am still "cat-sitting.")
I needed a dog that was sociable with cats and children, who was laid-back, and who would be okay by itself for long periods of time while I was at work.
I started visiting local shelters and combing the Internet for dogs that fit the standards that I was looking for. I finally found an ad for a 4-year-old English Bulldog named Brittany and set up an appointment to meet her.
The dog was seriously one of the ugliest animals I had ever seen in my life. Brittany had a massive under-bite and a cleft lip. She had one lone fang that stuck out of her sagging, sloppy mouth. She had needed her lower eyelid partly removed for medical reasons and the aftermath of the surgery left the right side of her face looking like it was about to melt off of her skull. Proportionally, she looked like somebody fused the head of a Mastiff onto the body of a Beagle.
To make matters worse, my mother thought it would be hysterical to buy Brittany a pink, rhinestone collar and matching leash. Brittany now resembled Danny Devito in a prom dress.
The first night I had her, I did not want to leave her alone so I let her sleep in bed with me. Brittany took it upon herself to sprawl right in the middle of the bed. I tried desperately to move her to one side, but she became dead weight. It was a lot like trying to move a 50-pound boulder from the sofa. In the end, I gave up, and slept on the floor.
Brittany was a very sociable dog. She was a little diva and loved to be the center of attention. She did not mind the cats and loved children. She also was a dream when left alone. She did have a couple of weaknesses though, one of them being squirrels.
I did not realize how bad her obsession with squirrels was until I took her to the park for the very first time. It was 6 A.M. on a Monday, and I am not a morning person. Bleary eyed and stumbling, I let my dog lead me to the park. I had not even bothered to change out of my pajamas and my hair looked like that of a Troll doll. Once we arrived, she did her business, and then we proceeded to walk the length of the park. All of a sudden, a squirrel darted out from underneath the bushes, and Brittany almost yanked my arm out of its socket. English Bulldogs are shaped like bullets, and once set in motion, it is very hard to stop them, especially when one is still half asleep. Needless to say, it took me 20 minutes to catch my dog. We now avoid the park on weekdays.
I think owning a dog for the very first time makes you grow up a little bit. Your life is not completely your own anymore. You have to plan your days around your dog's potty schedule and feeding time. If you do decide to go on vacation, if even for a weekend, you have to find somebody to puppy-sit.
The city shelters are overflowing with unwanted animals. There has been much debate about overthrowing the No Kill Law that most of the city's shelters abide by now. I am so glad I had the chance to adopt Brittany and give her a new life. She might not be a pretty dog, but she has a pretty soul, and has made my life that much richer.
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