I knew there was a good reason I decided to get another dog – less stress! According to this Huffington Post article there are benefits to pet ownership.
If you heard the back story about my first dog we purchased the year before last IT WAS A NIGHTMARE! Unfortunately as first time dog owners we had a puppy (my recommendation is if you are a first time dog owner:Â do NOT get a puppy) and really did not know what to do.
We had several dog trainers telling us what to do and what not to do (in many instances it was the complete opposite information). Our cockapoo looked adorable but had food aggression, resource guarding, biting and attacking issues. He would attack people when they came to the door. He bit several people throughout the year we had him. I think it was the breeding as we bought him from a very nice woman who was not really a breeder but just lived on a farm and had some dogs. Lesson learned.  Luckily, we were able to go through a rescue organization and he is with an adult woman (with grown kids).
I thought I would love to go to a shelter to save a dog, but given that I had allergies it was tough to find a hypo-allergenic dog at a shelter. While looking on the site for The North East Animal Shelter in Salem, MA I saw a few Carin Terrier type dogs (you know, Toto from the Wizard of Oz?) and when we went there a few of them were not good with kids, but then we met Brady. All I was concerned about is, “Is he good with Kids? Does he Bite?” He looked a little scrappy and un-kept, but he was so sweet, shy but not skittish.   He did not seem to shed too much. He is definitely Carin and something else. We think boxer. It’s almost like below his chest he sheds somewhat but his hair on his head does not.  So far it’s been almost two weeks and he is so respectful of the house and our space. He is also older and has not eaten the stairs, my shoes or the guinea pig.  We have taken him everywhere and he has been in several situations with kids, babies, multiple visits from several people in our home and all seems well. We go to the vet in a week and a half so should know more about him then!
