Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Dogs and gemstones

The brilliance of machine-faceted crystals has its appeal, but it can't compare to the natural beauty of gemstones. Things in nature aren't always perfect. That's why I like gemstones. Green or pink amethyst, kyanite, chrysoprase, tanzanite, pink tourmaline, turquoise — I love them all. And while they may be dyed, heat treated, or enhanced in some way to improve their appearance, the illusion of natural beauty is still powerful.

That could also be why puppies are so compelling, with their promise of newness and perfection, enthusiasm and boundless joy. They even smell fresh. And though they're untrained, their preciousness is always unquestioned. Why does it cost more to adopt a puppy than an adult dog? Does an animal's value decrease as it ages?

I have inexplicably developed a love of old dogs. (Explicably, I do spend a lot of time away from home and don't have a ton of energy to invest in training.) Tonight I visited Simon at the Wisconsin Humane Society. I spotted him online, and his expressive eye conveyed a friendly and loving spirit. Yup, he has only one good eye. The other one is closed and slightly indented. I don't know what happened to it, but he doesn't have any trouble with balance or orientation, so he must've lived with it for a while.

The adoption counselor ran down a list of behavioral traits: he loves affection, isn't especially motivated by toys, gets whiny when he's nervous. I spent about half an hour with him, and at first he was distracted and seemed more comfortable with the counselor. Within a few minutes, though, he was playing fetch with his squeaky toys, trotting back to me and awaiting praise, then sitting on my feet. (Not at my feet.) This 68-pound charmer takes treats gently instead of nosing at my closed hand. Awww.

What should I do? I thought that I was done considering a second dog after Ginger didn't get along with Jake. But I'm still contemplating: would this snuggly good-natured dog fit into my household? Regardless of where he goes, I'm sure he'll appreciate in value.

2 comments:

michelle said...

We went to the Humane Society at lunch today to check out a cat (or three!) for Kelly. She hasn't yet convinced her husband that they really want one, but we were smitten.

I say give it a chance again with Gigi. It sucks to fall in love with an animal and have to let it go, but you never know unless you try.

There was a two-year-old Newfoundland-Lab mix that was ADORABLE. It was also HUGE, but I really think you should go get him. This might be him, but he's listed as a three-year-old, and in person he was much cuter: http://www.wihumane.org/animals/animal.aspx?id=301122 (if that's possible!)

Jean Katherine Baldridge said...

I love this story and this photo!!! I am so glad you are considering this new addition to your family.
love, jean!