MY FRIEND PLUTO

Around Christmas time Jules and James started talking about getting a dog for Seamus. A boy needs a dog to grow up with....

In our neighborhood there are alot of kids, but they are all too old to play with Shamey. They do try to include him alot, just to be kind, but they are into skateboarding and long bike rides in large groups, with parents and all.

We all agreed that a dog would be a good friend for Shamey, so one night James and Jules met at a very nice dog shelter after work, and I stayed in the car with Shamey while James and Jules went in and looked around. The place was very clean and the staff very friendly. They tentatively chose a dog, but they wanted me to come in and take a look too. (All of this time Shamey was out in the car waiting with one of us, so he would be surprised when "SANTA" brought him a dog on Christmas Eve.) It was all timed out perfectly, and Jules had to fill out hundreds of papers it seemed, but the secret was safe with us 3 adults. It was very exciting to picture his face on Christmas morning!! Actually the 3 of us adults independently picked the same dog! So it was a given! Hee Heee Heee!!

We were ready to tell them our choice, but all of a sudden the staff member working with us said, "Are there any other family members in the house besides you 3? " We said, why?"
Well, it turns out that they are very strict there and want to be sure that all family members agree on the animal chosen. It is a good idea, really, but we were not expecting it... So guess what, Shamey had to come inside and pick out a doggie from Santa.... And guess which one he picked? You got it!! The same one all 3 adults had picked!!! It was a chocolate WELSH CORGI-LAB". He was so friendly and quiet, we were all drawn to him.

So much for "surprising" Shamey! But he was so excited about "PLUTO" that it was all worth it.

I have made a friend of him since I feed him every day. Henry, our cat is the same way. They both know where the food comes from.

Pluto has to be walked 4 times each day. Most of the time, James takes him out early in the morning. Then either Jules (on weekends) or I will do it around lunch time, and James will take him out around supper time if he is at home, or I will do it. The late night walk (just before bed) is James' chore, since Jules and I don't like to go out alone after dark.

I walk about 3 miles every day anyway, so if I am up to it I will take him out on my circuit (through the park one block from our home up to the highway, through the technology government building area, and then through the woods, to our home again. He is a pretty hard dog to keep up with, so I really do get a work out when I take him out.

I almost ALWAYS forget to take 2 plastic bags, in case he poops along the way. I am not used to walking dogs. Every dog we ever had, would just stay in the yard. We never walked any of them EVER! They would not even have known what a leash was!!

Pluto was supposed to be about 3-4 yrs. old when we got him, but it turns out that the vet thinks he is about 9-10 yrs.old. He never barks or acts up at all. God Bless Pluto!
Man's BEST Friend!!!