Charlie has been wanting a puppy for a while when Bradley’s dog had puppies. Bradley let Charlie pick one out for our family. Then when it came time to bring the puppy home Bradley kept making excuses of why he couldn’t bring the puppy over.
Through it all David kept saying we couldn’t have another puppy. Then he decided we could go to Haltom City Animal Shelter to see what they had. There wasn’t any puppies but there was a kitten I would have liked to have.
We left and the next day Charlie decided he wanted to check out Richland Hills Animal Shleter but they were closed to the public that day. But the staff went ahead and let us look around.
There were several dogs we saw we would like to have had. Then she took us into another room were 2 puppies were. They were sisters and before I know what was happening Charlie had decided he wanted one of them.
Charlie ended up choosing Sandy because sometimes you go to the animal shelter thinking you’re just going to look. And then you come home with a puppy. Even though David says no, because that is exactly what happened to us with Sandy.
When we walked in the LORD made sure we were able to adopt Sandy because Richland Hills Animal Shelter was hosting a Clean Out the Shelters event, when they were offering adoptions with things like vaccinations and microchipping included for FREE!!! Yes, you heard me right Sandy was free.
This was a GODSEND to my family because it was one of those special days when they were trying to get as many animals as possible into loving homes. And somehow, Sandy found us.
I believe the Lord lead us there because I had thought about going to the Watauga Animal Shelter but this one was closer and being the only day we could go because Charlie was working, and our schedules were difficult this was the easiest shelter I could visit.
As we walked through the shelter, there were so many dogs that caught our attention. David fell in love with another dog, but we couldn’t bring that one home. I found a German Shepherd I really liked, but they were working on reuniting that dog with its owner, so that wasn’t an option either.
Then I saw the tiniest little puppy. I wanted that baby so badly. But that puppy wasn’t available for adoption either. It had some things it needed to go through first—I believe there were medical issues involved—so once again, that wasn’t our dog.
And then we walked through the second door and that’s when Charlie found two little puppies. Their names were Sandy and Rizzo. Now, if you know me, you know exactly why those names caught my attention.
Sandy and Rizzo. From one of my favorite movies Grease. And anybody who knows me knows that Grease is one of my all-time favorite movies. This is when Charlie picked out Sandy even though I though he would pick Rizzi since we already had my Sandy but that wasn’t the case.
And that was that. Sandy is a little black puppy, who came home with us. She is somewhere around three to six months old, and she’s believed to be part Doberman Pinscher. Which I never thought I would have but when you see her you would see why we brought this bundle of energy home with us.
And she has some BIG paws. The kind of paws that make you wonder just how big this little girl is going to get. But then at times she reminds me of a Hound Dog and she has wrapped us all around her finger.
Because she was adopted during the special shelter event, we were able to bring her home with vaccinations, a microchip and other adoption benefits included. They even sent us home with a whole bag of goodies.
Inside were things like dog food, pee pads, a dog bowl, a leash and a collar. And the collar? Was pink and lady had no, clue it was Charlie’s favorite color. Then there was the leash that was black with pink roses all over it.
Now, we didn’t get to choose the collar, but honestly, whoever picked that one out couldn’t have done a better job for our family. If my family had gone to the pet store to pick out a collar we would have picked it out if they had it there.
Because pink and purple are Charlie’s favorite colors, so when that little black puppy showed up wearing a pink rose-covered collar, it was absolutely perfect. She looked like she belonged with us before we even got her home.
There were other goodies included, too, including information about a free wash. I still need to go through my email and check everything that came with the adoption package because there was quite a bit.
That’s one of the things I loved about the experience. They weren’t simply saying, “Here’s your dog. Good luck.” They were helping families get started and giving the dogs the best life they could.
And now? Sandy is home. And Sandy has opinions. Lots of them. She is playful, curious and into absolutely everything. I tell everybody she is worse than a two-year-old. If there is something she shouldn’t be doing, Sandy will probably find it.
If there is somewhere she shouldn’t be going, Sandy will probably figure out how to get there. And if Bear and Phoebe are trying to have a little peace and quiet? Well, Sandy considers that an invitation to play.
I bought Bear and Phoebe a dog bed that sits on the table next to David’s bed so they would have somewhere to get away from the puppy when they needed a break. The other day I turned around and there was Sandy sitting right there on their table.
Bear and Phoebe were looking at her like: “What are you doing in OUR bed?” But Sandy wasn’t trying to take their spot. She just wanted to be part of the family. And she is. In more ways that I would have thought including making David fall in love with her.
Now we have another little problem. Charlie has apparently decided that Sandy should be called Saucer. I don’t know where this came from. But let me make something perfectly clear: That dog is Sandy.
She came home as Sandy. She was introduced to the family as Sandy. David and I have already decided she is staying Sandy. She has been grandfathered in. If Charlie wants to call her Saucer, that’s between Charlie and the dog.
At this point, I think he’s calling her something like Saucer Sandy. Lord only knows what happens when you have a kid. But if her name is all he wants to change I can handle that because she isn’t going nowhere. Just ask David.
There is one thing nobody tells you when you get a puppy. Eventually, the puppy becomes the person who spends the most time with the puppy. Does Charlie take Sandy to the dog park? Of course not.
Does Charlie take Sandy outside to use the restroom? Of course not. Who does that? David. And me. So I’m beginning to think Sandy is going to become my dog, just like Phoebe and, most of the time, Bear.
That’s okay. Because the more time I spend with her, the more attached I become. She’s becoming my baby. And that’s what happens. You bring home a puppy thinking you’re giving a dog a family. Before long, you realize the dog has given you another member of the family.
A Puppy means making time and getting a puppy isn’t just about the cute pictures. It means making time. It means getting up and taking them outside. It means cleaning up accidents. It means finding safe places for them to play.
It means taking them to the veterinarian, keeping up with their vaccinations and making sure their microchip information stays current. It means giving your older dogs a place where they can get away from the puppy when they need some quiet.
And it means patience. Lots and lots of patience. Sandy is still learning. Bear and Phoebe are still learning how to deal with her. We’re all learning what life looks like with one more little personality running around the house. But underneath all the puppy chaos is something really special. She is home.
Sandy started out as a shelter puppy. She was one of many dogs waiting for somebody to notice her. And on the day we walked into the shelter, we didn’t know we were going to find her.
We had already seen dogs we couldn’t adopt. We had fallen in love with dogs who weren’t available. We had seen puppies who needed more medical care before they could go home. And then Charlie turned the corner and found Sandy and Rizzo.
He chose Sandy. And Sandy chose us right back. Now she has a pink leash with roses. She has a family. She has Bear and Phoebe to keep her in line. She has David taking her outside. She has me worrying about what she’s getting into.
She has Charlie calling her Saucer even though nobody else is cooperating with that name. And she has a home. That’s the part that matters most. Because somewhere along the way, Sandy stopped being a shelter dog and became our dog.
Our family dog. Our mischievous little black puppy with the giant paws. Our pink-collared Sandy. And whether Charlie likes it or not… As far as David and I are concerned Sandy is staying Sandy.
Have you ever walked into an animal shelter “just to look” and walked out with a new member of the family? Tell me about your shelter dog, cat or other adopted pet in the comments. I’d love to hear how they became part of your family.
And if you’re thinking about adding a pet to your family, don’t forget to look at your local shelters. There are so many wonderful animals waiting for somebody to give them a second chance.
Sometimes, the dog you weren’t even looking for turns out to be exactly the dog your family needed.
About:
Adoption Special
We are currently waiving all adoption fees for cats and dogs. The Adoption Special includes spay/neuter, rabies vaccination, microchip, city registration, core vaccinations and dewormer. The North Richland Hills Animal Adoption Center is located at 7301 Iron Horse Blvd, near the corner of Iron Horse Boulevard and Mid Cities Boulevard. Hours are Noon to 6 p.m., Tuesday – Saturday. The center is closed on Sunday and Monday.
Meet:
Below you’ll find our current list of adoptable pets which is updated daily. There are many other animals currently in our care who will become available for adoption if not claimed by their owners within the designated holding period. To learn more about our holding process, please visit our Lost & Found page.
On a mobile device, viewing may be better on PetPlace or Petfinder.
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates