Back in April, before my youngest daughter deserted us (and left for her freshman year of college) our male akita passed away very suddenly from a ruptured stomach tumor. One day he started acting a little strangely, and in less than a week, he collapsed on the driveway during a short walk. We rushed him to the emergency vet, and $1000 later, we came home with only a leash and collar.
Since we've been adopting older dogs from akita rescues, we've lost two pets we loved more than words can say. After this latest loss, we tried to step back and assess whether we "needed" another akita. Of course, the answer we came up with was no, we don't "need" another. We thought we'd manage somehow with only our sweet, tiny female, Luna.
Months went by, summer evaporated, and our youngest daughter packed her bags. The day we dropped her off at college, I contacted Rakki Inu Akita Rescue in Virginia Beach. We'd already adopted 2 females from this rescue, and we'd had an eye on a gorgeous LARGE male who seemed perfect for our family. By some miracle of fate, he was still available.
The moment I heard he could be ours, a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. We'd been limping along with only one dog, trying to make it enough; but after living with 2 big dogs for so many years, one tiny female didn't fill up our home or our hearts. And I knew my husband holds a special place in his heart for the BIG dogs.
Yesterday, we spent 12 hours in a cramped car with an extra-large crate jammed in the back. But it was totally worth every traffic jam and white-knuckle moment in the pouring rain. We came home with Yogi Bear (formerly known as Angelow) the newest member of our family.
(Photo credit: Kira Brown)
He has settled in nicely so far. No accidents! He's very loving, calm, and sweet. Luna is happy to have a big brother once again.
So there you have it. The answer to the empty nest dilemma is clear: adopt another dog. If you don't have ANY dogs, start with one. If you already have a dog, one is never enough. Keep adding until your canine level feels right. If your house is clean, and you don't need to vacuum several times per day, you're doing something wrong.
P.S. In my last blogpost, I joked about my husband and I not having anything to talk about. This was PURE HUMOR and holds absolutely NO TRUTH. We talk constantly about everything from health and nutrition and exercise to spiritual matters, books, films, and even politics on occasion. Don't believe everything I write; most of it is a load of crap.
Since we've been adopting older dogs from akita rescues, we've lost two pets we loved more than words can say. After this latest loss, we tried to step back and assess whether we "needed" another akita. Of course, the answer we came up with was no, we don't "need" another. We thought we'd manage somehow with only our sweet, tiny female, Luna.
Months went by, summer evaporated, and our youngest daughter packed her bags. The day we dropped her off at college, I contacted Rakki Inu Akita Rescue in Virginia Beach. We'd already adopted 2 females from this rescue, and we'd had an eye on a gorgeous LARGE male who seemed perfect for our family. By some miracle of fate, he was still available.
The moment I heard he could be ours, a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. We'd been limping along with only one dog, trying to make it enough; but after living with 2 big dogs for so many years, one tiny female didn't fill up our home or our hearts. And I knew my husband holds a special place in his heart for the BIG dogs.
Yesterday, we spent 12 hours in a cramped car with an extra-large crate jammed in the back. But it was totally worth every traffic jam and white-knuckle moment in the pouring rain. We came home with Yogi Bear (formerly known as Angelow) the newest member of our family.
He has settled in nicely so far. No accidents! He's very loving, calm, and sweet. Luna is happy to have a big brother once again.
So there you have it. The answer to the empty nest dilemma is clear: adopt another dog. If you don't have ANY dogs, start with one. If you already have a dog, one is never enough. Keep adding until your canine level feels right. If your house is clean, and you don't need to vacuum several times per day, you're doing something wrong.
P.S. In my last blogpost, I joked about my husband and I not having anything to talk about. This was PURE HUMOR and holds absolutely NO TRUTH. We talk constantly about everything from health and nutrition and exercise to spiritual matters, books, films, and even politics on occasion. Don't believe everything I write; most of it is a load of crap.
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