Please meet the newest member of our family! Cody is a 2-year-old Australian Shepherd mix who has been with us for just over a week, but has already stolen our hearts.
The decision to adopt a second dog was not easy. In fact, we debated long and hard about whether we wanted to go down that road again.
So many questions Bryan and I pondered over the last few months: Was it too soon after losing Romeo? Do we want another dog or a replacement for him? What if we find one that doesn’t fit into our pack?
But ultimately it came down to this:
Giving a loving and secure home to an animal is something we believe very strongly in. Dogs give so much to us, and ask for very little in return. So we feel that if we have the room, the means and desire, we owe it to a dog who needs a home to provide it.
We started looking for the right match last fall. For our circumstances, finding a second dog was no easy feat! With Casey it was simple: Bryan and I wanted a dog. There was 4-month-old Casey. BOOM … we were a family! We got lucky adopting Romeo too. As long as we found a good match for us – and he got along with Casey – it was a done deal.
But when you’re searching for another dog to go into a well-established house with a 7-year-old kid, 9-year-old dog, and a 6-year-old cat, it’s WAY tougher than you think! Some dogs can’t go with kids. Some can’t go with cats. Some can go with dogs, but not Casey because she’s old and not interested in playing. There were SO MANY factors to think about — and so many set-backs we had after meeting several dogs — that we nearly gave up the idea all-together.
But just about two weeks ago, Bryan found a listing for a dog named Devas at the Helen Woodward Animal Center in San Diego. There was something about this guy’s face that drew us to him, and convinced us we needed to meet him.
Bryan, Sophie, Casey and I piled into the car and drove up to meet Devas. From within his kennel, he walked up to us with his tail waging and smiled. We knew instantly he was the one. Luckily the feeling was confirmed when he met Sophie and then Casey. An hour later (and after several long minutes of him too scared to get into the car), we brought him home.
While we’ve since changed his name to Cody, I have to tell you about how he had a curious name like Devas. This Australian Shepherd mix was a rescue dog. And by rescue, I mean that in the very literal sense. Sadly, Devas was scheduled to be euthanized at a local shelter. As he walked down a long hallway to meet his demise, someone from Helen Woodward spotted him and saved his life. We’re talking minutes here! That’s why they named him Devas, which is “saved” spelled backwards.
“Why can’t I play? There’s a dog in Monopoly.”
Other than that story, we don’t know anything more about his background. We suspect he may have been a street dog. Although he came to us house-trained (yay!), he’s VERY much a puppy. There are clearly areas in which he needs training (hence coming home to find the feet of Sophie’s Anna doll chewed off). But he is eager to please, is motivated (already learned the “sit” command), is a patient boy, and wants nothing more than to be loved and give love.
The rest of the pack is adjusting. Cody is so respectful to Casey, and has shown no aggression toward her at all. In fact, all the poor guy wants to do is play with her, which Casey will have none of. She is not mean, but indifferent. But to be fair, Casey has never been one to get excited for playtime with any canine friend.
The surprise in this equation has been Tess. The minute she caught sight of him, she took off for cover under our bed, where she stayed for the next 24 hours. While she no longer hides under the bed, she has chosen to stay upstairs and avoid the “beast.” We moved her liter box and food upstairs, which is off limits to Cody for the time being. Tess has ventured onto the stairs and is curious about who this guy is, but she hasn’t set foot out of her comfort zone. I was surprised because she’s a cat who has never before shown any fear of dogs or people. I really hope she comes around and rejoins the family, and I hope she’s not sad living her days upstairs away from the backyard and downstairs. But for now, I’ll give her the space she needs. And I’m grateful she continues to sleep with us at night.
I am so grateful we found such a sweet, loving boy to bring into our pack. I love his exuberance, gangly puppy body, and seeing his quirks and personality come out. He brings a new spark of happiness and humor to the house.
I’m forever grateful Cody was saved. And I’m especially thankful he chose us as his home.
“I dug a bed for myself.”
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