Origins

Amanda tagged us to blog about how we got our dogs.

I've always wanted a dog. When I was around 12 we got a golden retriever named Orlata and when I moved out, she of course, stayed home. I desperately wanted to get a dog but knew that a pet would really limit my accommodation choices when I was renting (especially in Vancouver) so I chose not to. When Marlin and I settled in Lethbridge and it looked like we were going to be here for a while, we decided to buy a house - mainly so we could get a dog. Marlin wanted a husky, I wanted a golden retriever. He seemed to think that a golden retriever shed too much (um ya... apparently huskies don't shed) so he tried to convince me we should get a lab instead (um ya... apparently labs don't shed either). We started scouring the papers looking for a dog (I know, I know, not the best way!). We went to visit one litter of lab/golden crosses and were just disturbed by their attitudes. As far as I was concerned, 8 week old puppies should be running around having fun, not sitting petrified in a corner. So we kept looking and we eventually spotted an ad for border collie/retriever puppies - only $50! :) We gave them a call, hopped in the car and went for a visit. The dad was a giant of a golden and the mom was an over-active border collie who didn't stop jumping up and down in the dog run the whole time we were there. The pups were cute, energetic and not shy at all. Marlin was worried. All he could see was the mom jumping and jumping and jumping. I convinced him she looked like her dad and therefore would act like her dad (ha!). We spent about 30 minutes visiting with the puppies and while we were there another man came, literaly scooped up the first pup that came his way, handed over $50 and walked away. We were all a little dumbstruck. So by the time we left, Coulee was the only one still avaialble, which was fine by us, as she was the one we had wanted. We ran out, bought supplies and picked her up that night. As you can see, we had a lot to learn and she made us learn very quickly. The rest is history and I can safely say that I owe it to Coulee for even thinking about starting a dog walking business and for starting me down this path.

When Lacey came into our lives, we were debating whether or not we had the heart to keep fostering dogs for the rescue. With each one, it seemed harder and harder to part with them and Marlin really didn't want a second dog. We both knew a second dog was inevitable if we kept fostering. When Amanda got a call about a litter of pug cross puppies left behind at an auction house, she called to see if we would foster one. I'm not even sure if I talked to Marlin before saying yes. A pug puppy. We won't fall in love with a pug. Not my type of dog I said. (Apparently I still had lots to learn!). Oh my they were cute. Big heads, little bodies and not very pug like at all. We took the only black and tan one in the litter home. She was adorable - both in looks and personality. We were in love, but Marlin still wasn't ready. We were also worried if this little girl, with her pug heritage, would be able to join us on long hikes and hot camping trips. She was the first foster dog that Coulee never played with and we wondered if they ever would. We loved her, but was she right dog for us? Then Amanda got a great application on her and that was the push we needed. No way was she going somewhere else. It turns out she was the runt of the litter (only 25 lbs as opposed to 50) but is quite the little muscular powerhouse who has no problems doing all the activities we enjoy. She is completely in love with Coulee and while Coulee still pretends that she thinks her little sister is a brat, they really are the best of friends.

I couldn't imagine life without either of them.

I'm not really a "pass the buck" kind of girl but I'm dying to know how StellarStar got Stella and Rufus so I'm tagging you!