It’s been almost 7 months since Zappo passed. It both feels like it was yesterday and ages ago at the same time.
Plenty of people grieve their pets by immediately getting a new one, and I can’t say I blame them. We all deal with shit in our own ways. For me though, I haven’t felt ready for it just yet. I still feel a bit like the title of My Dog™ is reserved for Zappo. He was mine, my friend and companion, and all these other dogs are just…… dogs. Does that make any sense?
With that said, after reflecting on losing my motivation and basically turning into a sad couch potato, it seems clear that I probably need to get a new dog.
Also, I want to get one before I get “stuck” and stop wanting one. Like, if you fall off a horse you’re supposed to get up in the saddle again as soon as possible, to prevent developing a fear of riding/horses. Maybe it’s a good idea with dogs too? I don’t want to wait so long that I get used to not having one and then it will seem like too much work. Does that make sense either?
So. We’re definitely gonna get a new dog, I’m hoping sometime next year. :)
It is kind of a big project though, to find the right breed and the right individual… Not gonna lie it feels a bit daunting. Especially since I’ve decided to not get another whippet.
Why not another whippet?
It’s kinda sad because whippets are amazing. They do however have one issue and that’s their fur. Or lack of fur rather.
Of course, it’s reasonable to put a jacket on the dog on a day with extreme weather, but I feel it shouldn’t be required every single day just because it happens to be winter. Especially not since I live this far north – it’s winter a lot around here. And I’m a winter person, I prefer being outdoors in the cold and snow rather than in summer heat.
I loved Zappo but my next dog should be a little more robust and better adapted to this northern climate. Also, there are so many amazing breeds out there. I wouldn’t mind trying something new. :)
Why I’m going to “shop” rather than adopt
I see a lot of “adopt, don’t shop” online and how it’s so much better to get a shelter dog. I won’t be doing that and the short reason why is: there are not a whole lot of “rescue dogs” in my country.
Sweden doesn’t have the same problem with homeless dogs as many other countries. Dogs are considered valuable and cost a lot of money to buy, even mixed breeds. Any dog seen roaming around on its own will be caught asap and steps will be taken to find its owner. There are basically zero strays.
Because of this, there isn’t a market for shelters either. There’s only one shelter in the whole country and it’s down in Stockholm. Unfortunately, most of their dogs are very demanding working breeds and “bully” breeds. Both of those are types I don’t want. Getting a dog from there doesn’t seem like a rational option for me.
Pet stores are not allowed to sell dogs either. Or cats or any animals other than certain species of rodents and birds. The law considers it cruelty to keep most animals in cages in such stressful environments. Our pet stores are for buying supplies rather than actual pets. Something I’m glad about!
The only way to get a dog (apart from that one shelter) is to buy one directly from its current owner/breeder.
I’ve started doing some research into suitable breeds and will probably post more about that in the future.
Hope y’all like reading about dogs, haha! ;)
I can’t wait to read about the dogs you look at. I miss Zappo also, but I do agree I think you need another one.
I sure do, sad couch potato isn’t a good look 😕☺
Think of it this way: no dog is replaceable, but all dogs deserve to be loved. There’s totally enough room in your heart for a dog that isn’t Zappo!
My husband and I have started looking into getting our first dog together, but like Sweden, the Netherlands has a shortage of suitable shelter dogs and pet stores don’t sell dogs either. I’d love to adopt a pitbull, but their needs are incompatible with our lifestyle, and because we have rats, we’d also like to start with a puppy so we can train it to see them as friends, not food. Hehe.
Good luck, and I hope you find the perfect dog for you!
How fun that you might be getting a dog too! :D If not a pitbull so maybe a different bully breed with other needs? I’m sure you’ll find something. :)
I like to believe that it’s a good sign that there are so few shelters and rescue dogs. Most people must be taking care of their pets and not letting them breed uncontrollably then, right? (At least I hope so.)
I would be interested in reading about your process in getting a new dog. The only pets I’ve ever had were gerbils, hamsters, mice, and fish. I’ve always wanted a cat, but my boyfriend wants a dog. Well actually he wants both. I’m personally a little scared of dogs. I think most of my dog experiences have been negative so I’m scared they are going to attack or bite me. At least with big dogs, which is what my boyfriend wants.
Being scared is no fun, I hope you can overcome that in the future. You definitely shouldn’t get a dog if you don’t want one. Maybe you guys could start with pet sitting other people’s dogs that you know are small and friendly and see how that works out?
Or if you want a cat and he wants a dog you could always compromise and get some kind of sighthound, they’re basically cats in dog bodies ;)
Oh wow, I didn’t know that there aren’t issues with strays in Sweden! That’s really great! I didn’t realize your main option was to go directly to the owner/breeder, but that makes sense now. I’d be interested in reading about the breeds you’re considering! At some point, my husband and I are hoping to get a dog, but we need a better aquarium for our turtles first. Good luck on your search!
I totally understand because of how different the situation is in a different country like Sweden. Yeah, strays are a big problem in the US, but, in this case: I support your decision, regardless if you adopt or shop, because I realized that you can find good and reputable breeders as well.
I have a Yellow Labrador..but yeah, researching breeds is a good idea.
That’s so nice that homeless dogs and unethical breeding is basically not a thing there to the point where you CAN buy dogs from breeders/owners and you can feel secure it’s not a puppy mill. I always adopt my dogs, because there are just so many doggos in need here, and puppy mills are such a problem. (We always adopt from Lab Rescue because my first dog was a black lab, and we fell in love with them… Though we have INKLINGS our dogs aren’t ACTUALLY labs… if it looks ANYTHING like a lab, they just take them on, and send them over to the adopters as labs. LOL. Some of them definitely look like a pitbull with lab eyes or something.)
When our first dog died, we weren’t planning on getting another dog for a while, but she was my mom’s life, basically (she walked her for hours every day, cooked for her, did everything for her), so when she lost her, she had a complete shut-down that led to a seizure. The doctors never figured out WHY she got a seizure, but we were like, “Roger that. Got the message. Need to get her a new dog ASAP.” And we went back and adopted a new one after a few weeks of searching through multiple adoption events and contacting rescues.
We knew when we were presented with a specific “potential match” after a few weeks that he was the one. My mom just hugged him and broke down crying in the pet store. We were looking for a female and older, calmer dog, but we came home with a 1.5 year old crazy boy rescued from god knows where just because he “clicked.” Turns out he’s gonna continue being a crazy rambunctious puppy for yearssss to come (he and his “sister” we adopted a little after him at 1 year old JUST started slowing down a year or 2 ago, after they turned 9), but I’m really glad we got them, because without them, my mom would not have been able to go through all the medical problems we as a family have been going through for years.
I fully believe you’ll find your next pupper companion :) Hope you’ll share him/her with us when you find him/her!!!
Wow. I can’t believe it has already been seven months! You are completely right, we all deal with things differently, and you have to do it your way. :)
A dog that suits the climate would be a great fit! Maybe it would also be something that worked well emotionally. <3
Wow, I am so impressed with the laws in Sweden! The fact that there are little strays and it's not legal for pet shops to sell dogs is awesome! Australia has a lot of problems for puppy farms, and they need to change laws to make it so much better.
I wish you the best in your research and finding your new friend.
:D