I went with the intention of adopting a small beagle. I thought that would be a good starter dog for us. It would be small and non-threatening for the children, and I've always heard beagles are good with kids.
I left the pound, after walking several beagles and stalking the aisles of puppies, having adopted a 53 pound boxer mix. Who weighs 53 pounds. And who has not stopped growing. I had a boxer growing up, and I am a sucker for the breed. After seeing Otis, I could not leave until I made arrangements for adoption.
I picked Otis up Monday from the vet, as he had to be 'fixed' before he could come home. While we all fell in love with Otis, one family member in particular has bonded with him in a powerful way.
Ellie, my rambunctious almost 17 month old, has fallen in love with Otis, and he with her. She has absolutely no fear of this creature who weighs almost twice as much as she does. She stuffs food into his mouth, pats him a hundred times a day, throws balls for him, and is not afraid to tussle with him to get her blanket or stuffed dog back from him (they both have an affinity for pink blankets). He, in turn, follows her through the house (that could be due in part to her habit of feeding him goldfish), watches her while she plays outside, and is a gentle giant with her. He allows her to prod him, pull his tail, and in general take advantage of him.
It warms my heart to watch the two of them interact. When it is just the three of us at home in the mornings while my menfolk are at work or school, the two of them go everywhere together. By her naptime, Otis is more than ready for a nap himself.
It makes me think of the times I spent with my own boxer, a pampered pooch named Higgins (for Professor Henry Higgins - I was in a My Fair Lady phase). The bond between a girl and her dog is profound, and I enjoy watching such a bond develop in my house.
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