lie like a dog

A book bender weekend means I’m reading two books at once. The Puppy Diaries, a story about a couple of empty nesters raising a golden retriever puppy named Scout, after To Kill a Mockingbird. Also reading MWF seeking BFF, a book about a married woman in Chicago seeking friendships in a new city with one date a week. Another one of those ubiquitous blogs turned book deals chronicling a year long mission. All I have to say is that it would be a shorter book if she had gotten a dog. Dogs are friend magnets as they are four-legged conversation pieces.

Reading books about dogs makes me want to pen my own novel about my furry companion. After nearly 3 years of having Ray, I have a lot of material. It all started with looking for months on petfinder.com. Once I saw his photo, his raised ear, my heart melted. It was puppy love for sure.

I got Ray the month before I began my year long foray into online dating and there were similarities with matching pets to owners and eligible bachelorettes to bachelors. Firstly, in the art of selling yourself, everyone lies.

This is what I read about Ray on petfinder.com:

…an amazing little fellow with an easy diposition. He gets along splendidly with adults, children, and other animals, and is crate trained and house broken. He loves to play ball, chew ice cubes, and gaze at the stars. In fact there’s his one ear that stands up all the time as if he picking up signals from outer space. Thank you for considering him as a wonderful addition ot your life.

Ray does get along well with adults and children. If there is an empty lap, he will jump in it. As far as other animals go, he hates cats and will try to take down any large dogs. Yes, he is house broken, but there has been more than one occasion when I have returned home to find poop in the fireplace. This was during the holidays, so you can imagine the look of surprise on Santa Clause’s face.

I was met with equally similiar surprises with the guys from match.com. It was only after meeting them in person did I realize that two dates lived at home. I wasn’t fishing from the high school pool of suitors either, these guys were 20-30 somethings living at home for one reason or another.

I didn’t have the same luck with match.com as I did with petfinder.com considering the relationship with my dog is the longest one I’ve had.

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