I want to tell you a little bit about Freida.
I’ve never had a dog, and I’ve never really wanted one. I like cats because they’re soft and beautiful and independent and smell faintly of hay.
But over the last few years, I started to change without even realizing it. I’d ask people on the street about their dogs. I’d say hello to the dogs at the farmers’ market, whereas before I’d just asked their owners to stop them from peeing on the market table sign. And sometimes, late at night, I’d lurk on petfinder.com, reading about different breeds.
Joey got in on it with me, and we’d sneak petfinder sessions, trying to keep it from the girls so they wouldn’t think we were really serious. And when we really talked about it, we’d just go around in circles with all the reasons why not. Our life is good. It’s easy. It’s too much responsibility. Too expensive. We don’t even know to raise a dog. We like our independence. We want to be able to travel without thinking too hard about it! (This one is only a dream, as we hardly ever travel and always think a lot about it.)
I laughed about how we sounded like people thinking about having kids. Oddly enough, we’d never thought about those things when we were actually having kids. Maybe it’s because we were young, or maybe it’s because I had a sense of how to take care of a baby, but back then, we just didn’t think too hard about it.
This fall, we finally started talking about it for real. We share a house with my parents and my sister, and my mother especially took some time to come around to it. Honestly, I think she struggled her way through it. But in the end, this is what she said to me:
I’m willing to admit that there’s something out there that could bring me happiness that I just can’t know or predict.
We began to look for dogs. We’d mention it to friends who had dogs, and for the most part they’d laugh or look surprised, and say they’d never figured us for dog people. I felt a little defensive, like I had to prove that I really was a dog person. What was a dog person anyway? I started reading books and articles and learned that there might be more opinions out there about how to raise dogs than there on how to raise children. I researched breeds and had thoughts about what I wanted and I felt unclear and panicked and like I was doing something wrong and I was going to make a huge mistake.
And then we met Freida, and she jumped into my arms and, overwhelmed, fell asleep. That was that. She wasn’t anything we had looked for. But, like a lot of things seem to do, she just happened.
There’s been a lot of waking up late at night and figuring things out and saving slippers from destruction and cleaning poop off the floor, but through it all she’s already become a very loved member of our family, and she’s definitely the right dog for us. Even my mother loves her. And I felt it only fair that I should officially introduce her, here, as she’ll be the blur running through most of my photos from now on.
Friends, this is Freida.
But there’s something else, too. In this first post of the year (Hello 2015! So good to meet you!), I thought my mother’s words were especially fitting. In fact, in place of a resolution, this seems to be the sentence setting the tone for my 2015. I like it.
I’m willing to admit that there’s something out there that could bring me happiness that I just can’t know or predict.
Happy new year, friends. I’m grateful to be starting off this year, here, with you. Here’s to all the unknowns of 2015, and the good things that might just come along with them.
Occasionally I teach workshops, and I have one coming up this fall. Join me and stellar novelist 
I’m going through the same process right now but with a cat. I just can’t make the decision and I secretly wish it will be made for me, by some random cat finding its way to my house and moving in. Frieda is beautiful and you are all clearly smitten. What a great start. But what kind is she?
Also, the quote from your mother is very wise. I love it!
Finding Freida was really like our experience finding our cat, Artie. We just walked into a shelter to hang out with the cats and he wouldn’t stop talking to us. I’m pretty sure he chose us- even though we weren’t sure we actually wanted a cat. It was nice to feel like the decision wasn’t all mine!
Frieda is a mutt, although her mom was a rat terrier- we know that much. Beyond that, guesses have been Italian greyhound or something? Very mysterious.
Your post brought tears to my eyes! Lucky Freida. 🙂 She’s a beauty. And that sentence: perfection. Thank you! Happy New Year!
Thank you, Sarah! Happy New Year to you, too 🙂
Love her!! We just took the plunge into dog ownership on New Years Day. We have a dog-friendly lifestyle, but it took me quite a long time of my kids longing for one to decide I could deal. One week in and we can’t imagine life without him! We got a golden retriever/mini poodle hybrid, so he could be hypoallergenic. Turns out this is the cutest puppy combo arguably ever!! But, Freida is equally darling – and Rosie’s laughter in that picture makes it all perfectly worthwhile, yes? Happy New Year Chernila family! xo
Well hello from one puppy crazed house to another! Congrats on yours, too, Hannah. Happy New Year! xo
It’s good to be here with you too lady! Love the addition! Your love abounds! Why NOT share it with such an adorable creature! All the best to you and your beautiful family! Here’s to taking chances and continuing to learn new things about ourselves.
<3
You nailed it, Jennifer. It seems like the more things to love around here, the better it all goes…
Don’t worry about training and don’t read books. Talk to her constantly, especially in the beginning, just narrating your and her world. Once she buys into being part of the family, because she’s included as a member in that way, she’ll be more likely to understand what you want and, thus, to enact the so-called good behaviors. Too few pups are really part of their families but are only accessories and their behavior often reflects that.
And of course you’re a dog person! You can be one without a dog, too. Enjoy her, she looks lovely.
Thank you, Julia. I love your advice.
Congratulations! This is lovely news. And happy new year!
I was never a dog person, but when we were in the Peace Corps we mentioned verrrrry offhandedly to a bunch of neighborhood kids that we wanted a puppy, and the next day they banged on our door and handed us… a puppy. So we became dog people very quickly, just like that.
Later (because this was a long time ago), we got a pug. And when she passed on, we let a long, long time pass.
We’re now talking about a dog again, though it doesn’t make logical sense for all the reasons you mentioned.
And yet…
And yet!
🙂
Is she mostly (or partly) a Blue Tick Coonhound? If so, do let me know and I can tell you a bit about the likely amazing adventures you will have. Doesn’t matter if she’s not. You’re still going to have amazing adventures! Enjoy! Enjoy! And, food for puppies and dogs of all ages is as important as it is for humans–the foundation for the best possible health, and life!
All we know is that there’s some rat terrier in there- the rest is a mystery!
I love this story! It always seems the people who resist the most fall in love the hardest! Enjoy sweet Frieda!
She’s adorable! I’ll be curious to see if I ever come around to having a dog. I think it has to do with an accommodating lifestyle and having kids out of diapers 🙂
I definitely had to wait until that was over before I thought about this. It’s like having another baby all over again.
Happy New Year, Alana!
And to you, Laura! xo
You seem like PERFECT dog people! Freida’s a lucky girl. Just read the cookbook gift post, and I got the Mimi Thorisson book for Christmas. If you haven’t already, make the cream puffs. They are perfect. I haven’t made the coffee cream- I just filled them with sweetened, vanilla beaned, stiffly whipped cream. Twice I have made these and they disappear. And are so very easy! Have fun!
Oh, that sounds like a great place to start. I still haven’t made anything from that book yet- I just turn the pages and dream of Medoc.
Oh my goodness, that’s a cute puppy. And it sounds like she picked you the way a cat would, so clearly it’s an excellent match.
Thanks for introducing us! My #1 suggestion for anyone with a new dog is to buy a Kong (or two). I like to take our dog’s food, soften it with water, stuff the Kong with it and freeze it. It can keep him busy for 30 minutes (which is something like 3.5 hours in puppy time). It can get messy, even with dry treats or leftover veggies/meat, so I’d also suggest picking up a blanket for her at a thrift store.
Yes, yes! This week it’s barely been over 0°, and the kong has been saving me.
Beautiful New Year affirmation! Enjoy that sweet pup.
Thank you, Rachel! Happy New Year!
This is such a sweet post. I think I have some similar, very early thoughts about dogs the way you explained yours. . . except that we are having a baby in May, so I’m pretty sure we’ll just wait a bit on the doggie 🙂
I LOVE your mom’s words about happiness. She sounds wise and I bet she is very happy.
May! Yes- perhaps wait a bit… This is more like having a baby again than I could have imagined!
congratulations on your new addition. She is adorable. i just want to second Julia’s wise advice – just include her as part of the family as much as you can. And it looks like you are doing that very well. See you are a dog person 🙂 also, I love your mom’s words. Thanks for sharing them.
Oh she’s adorable! Congratulations! We have a 6yr old Rat Terrier Mix (shelter dog) that we just adore! He’s the perfect mix of sleep all day / fun for the kids! We also have a 1yr old golden doodle that we adopted from a family member she’s the definitely the hyper to his calm! 🙂 Have fun and Happy New Year!
p.s. Your Mom sounds like a very wise lady! Definitely words to live by! 🙂
So cute! And I love that sentence/resolution from your mother.
We were picking up our female cocker spaniel, when one of the males who hadn’t been chosen yet, came up to me and whined. I picked him up and he snuggled right into the crook of my neck. I melted. We took him home instead and “Bob’ became the best dog ever. I always felt that he chose us not the other way around, just as you said about your cat.
Oh wow! We’ve been thinking and thinking about getting a cat for ages, and toing and froing about different breeds and where to get it from – now I sort of hope one chooses us too! I love your mum’s words too – beautiful, and so open…
So many good cats out there… just put yourself where there are lots of cats and one WILL find you 🙂