I’ve known for some time (years, really), that we would get a dog. I was just waiting for Erik to catch up in his thought patterns.

It took years.

But here we are. A family of 6. Two adults, 3 children, 1 dog.

Ripley.

I also knew when we got another dog, it would be a rescue. That way it wouldn’t be a puppy, and we would “know” their behaviors.

But then we went and found Ripley.

Beautiful, sweet, Ripley.

Ripley, who had only been with her foster family for a week, so “Behaviors” weren’t an entire known.

But she was beautiful, and perfect, and she has fit into our family like a glove.

Not to say there hasn’t been a learning curve.

There has.

For all of us.

We’ve learned that she is a most insistent lap dog. No matter what you’re doing, if she wants attention/affection, she is in your lap. (at this exact moment as I write this, her muzzle is on my keyboard.) For a 30 pound beagle, this is no small feat.

We’ve learned (to our chagrin) that she is a trash picker.

We’ve learned that she is a lover. Not only will she be a lap dog, but if you get on the floor, she sets her chin on your neck. She’ll do anything to be close to you, just about anything.

We’ve learned that she has separation anxiety. While we tried for a while leaving her home alone with free reign, it didn’t last.  The first few times, when I was gone only a short time, she did all right. Then came the trash picking. Then came the day I was gone two mornings in a row…and she pooped on the floor.

She has a kennel now.

She’s handling the addition well, and even chooses to sleep in in from time to time (because we put her bed in there).

At night she still sleeps with us or Denver.

Which reminds me, we’ve also learned that she’s a dreamer. Down to growling and yelping and running…which is always fun when you’re trying to sleep.

But the most important thing we’ve learned in all of this?

Is that she’s family.

Yes, behaviors are going to crop up.

But our home would be empty without her.

Her presence has brought a calming factor to the house – for the kids, for Erik, and for me. We’ve all noticed a change.

A very good change.

*~*

We always worried our home would be too small to add another creature, but she fits in like a puzzle piece. One I knew we were missing, and one I’m glad she filled.