Dog Non-Negotiable

In three weeks, I start over. For the past twenty years, I have been the wife and mother taking care of the house, the kids, the husband and pretty much everything else that came our way. Now the kids are raised, the house is a storage facility for collectibles and the husband is ready to sit on the porch and rock. I'm not. I recently accepted a job in Oklahoma and in three weeks, will pack a few things and journey from Nevada to Oklahoma and start over. 

But I won't be alone. I have my dog. Which is proving to be a problem.

I've owned a home for the past twenty years, so the whole idea of being a 'renter' is foreign to me. The town I am moving to, Idabel, Oklahoma, is very small and as far as I've been able to deduce, doesn't have apartment complexes like those in Nevada. It's mostly private homes for rent, and the owners don't like to rent to dogs. I guess, in a way, I can understand that they may have had bad experiences, but I always think that in the case of a destructive or disruptive animal, it is the owner that is the problem, not the animal. But, I digress.

So, after twenty-two phone calls and at least as many emails, at this time, if I want to live in Southeast Oklahoma, I either buy a home, or leave my dog with someone.  I can have twenty kids, an arsenal of weapons, a party every night, and a string of male suitors around the block, but not one dog.

Well let me tell you about my dog.

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DeeDee, which is short for Kelly's Diamond Dog, is a purebred miniature Shar-Pei. When my sons were teenagers, I felt I needed another 'baby'. I searched breeds for temperament, compatibility, care, etc. and I chose the breed. Then I went looking for my baby. I found her in Chicago. She flew on United Airlines from O'Hare to McCarran Airport and from the moment I picked her up, she was my dog.

We made a pact. She would always be there for me, and I would do the same for her. She has lived up to her side of the bargain, always greeting me at the door, running around the block if I want to run or vegging out on the floor if I want to flop on the couch and watch a movie. When I'm in my office, she knows I'm working, and she posts herself at the door, not letting anyone in unless I give the word. I don't have to leash her, she heels without being told. She knows where she is supposed to be, and that place is next to me. She is better trained than most children I know.

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DeeDee is ten years old, which for a breed with a life span of 8-12 years, makes her a little old woman. She has her problems: arthritis, thyroid issues and seizures and she takes a lot of medicine. It is very expensive, but that's okay, it's my part of the bargain, and if I have to make sacrifices to pay for her health care, I will. She is my friend and my companion. I know the dog lovers out there are nodding their heads. They know exactly what I'm talking about.

So back to Oklahoma. I spoke with a gentleman today that had the perfect home for me, in my price range, in a safe neighborhood. He suggested I find a home for my dog, then he would be happy to rent it to me. I told him I will live in my car before I will desert her. He said 'Good Luck'.

I received another call from a woman who runs a hunting lodge who periodically rents rooms for long term. It's a lovely place, one bedroom with a little kitchenette area, perfect for me---and DeeDee is welcome. The problem is, it's easily $250 a month out of my range and that is a lot of money.

But, if I don't find anything else in the next few weeks, I will move into the lodge and find another part-time job to pay for it. And I will do it as long as necessary. Because DeeDee goes with me.

And the dog is non-negotiable.

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