Babysitting Theo
This is Theo, a Keeshond that we babysat over the weekend. He is a foster dog at the rescue where we got both Mulder and Genevieve, Bay Area Keeshonden Rescue (BARK). His foster dad was going out of town for the weekend, and the rescue knew how much we have been missing Mulder, so they asked if we might want to babysit Theo.
Theo is 18 months old, and has moved a few times. He came to Northern California from New York, and apparently his most recent family had two other dogs that didn’t adjust to him, so they had to give him up. He’s a very sweet boy, though somewhat skittish and lacking confidence. He’s very friendly. It’s strange to have another dog here, one that looks so much like Mulder, and yet is not Mulder.
I wanted to take him in for a bit, because though I know we are not ready for another dog yet, I wanted to see if it made me more sad or happy to have one here. It did make me sad, I miss Mulder so very much, and I hate how unfair it was that we lost him the way we did. But it also made me happy. It made me happy to see Theo relax on his second day, to see him come out of his shell a little bit and even play some. And then even more so on his third and fourth days. I like to think that he will truly blossom into a happy, confident dog, and that we will have helped him, at least a little bit, in that journey.
Maybe after our trip to Alaska next month, or perhaps this fall, we may be healed enough to open our hearts to another dog. Whether it will be a Keeshond or not, I am not sure. I do love this breed, they are such charming dogs. Thank you Theo, for bringing some laughter and fun to our weekend!
24 Comments
NGS
Thank you for fostering! It is such a great thing for dogs to get out in the world and see that people are kind – you will help Theo with his transition to his forever home.
J
Thanks NGS! We really enjoyed having him this weekend (and he’s under my desk as I type, he won’t be leaving until this evening.) I think if I ever tried to actually foster a dog, I would fail miserably and end up keeping them all. He’s won our hearts for sure.
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
I’m glad that you got some puppy lovin’ over the weekend! I feel like pets adopt us instead of us adopting them – so maybe after you’re back Theo will make his way back to you or another dog will come along and claim you.
J
Thanks Beckett, yes, we would love that, just not sure of the timing of when we will be ready. There are other folks already interested in Theo, so chances are slim that he will still be available. But you never know, it could happen!
Margaret
Theo is such a gorgeous dog and does remind me of Mulder. Perhaps a different type of dog would make you less sad? You wouldn’t tend to compare him/her to Mulder.
J
Hi Margaret, yeah, I’ve been going back and forth on that one myself. He does really remind us of Mulder, which isn’t exactly fair to whichever dog we end up getting. But we love Keeshonds, they are such good dogs. So we’ll see when the time comes.
Suzanne
Awww, look at that sweet face! How wonderful that you were able to see a difference in his behavior in such a short time!
It sounds like a very bittersweet experience. It makes me happy that you are thinking ahead to another dog. Not as a replacement for Mulder — that’s not possible. But to share your hearts and home with another pup should be so healing for you all.
J
Thanks Suzanne! Yes, it’s so terribly sad and difficult to lose a beloved pet. I will never not miss Mulder. But in a way, getting another dog is honoring the joy that he brought to our lives. Another dog will never be him, but they will also bring love and joy with them.
Elisabeth
How wonderful you could bring some love and joy into Theo’s life. I can see how bittersweet this experience would be for your family, but you have helped further prepare him for a forever home <3
Mulder was a one of a kind friend for your family, and I hope you get to experience that same happiness and affection again.
J
Thank you Elisabeth, me too. <3
Kyria @ Travel Spot
What a cutie! He looks so happy all the time! He has super long hair; do you get a lot of shedding with that kind of dog? My brother had a Jack Russell and she had that super wirey hair; she was like a scrub brush! But I would always leave his house looking like a hair hurricane had gone off on my pants, and hers was short! I am guessing you have to do a lot of vacuuming with that breed!
J
Kyria, YES, all of the vacuuming. I vacuumed at 5:00 yesterday because our carpet looked horrible and Theo’s foster dad was coming at 7:30 to pick him up. Ted vacummed again after they left, it was a mess already.
nance
Serious Theo! What a handsome dog.
You were very kind (and incredibly brave!) to open your home to babysit a dog, especially a Keeshond. Bravo, J!
J
Thanks Nance, it made me so happy to have Theo here! But yes, it brought up so many Mulder feelings. I cried when he left, but I wasn’t really crying for Theo. I was crying for Mulder.
Ally Bean
You did a good thing looking after Theo. He’s handsome as all get out. If you do decide to adopt another dog, I hope he brings you all the joy of your previous ones combined into one loving bundle.
J
Thanks Ally, goodness, that’s a lot of pressure to put on a dog! My childhood dog, Samantha, was pretty amazing. Then throw in Genevieve and Mulder, and wow…
Jerry Cohen
You know me and my connections to dogs over the last almost 90 years. The joy of them being my friends and the courage they have given me to share my life with another after we’ve parted in this life has given me a most wonderful perspective on life. When you are ready, be assured you will once again share joy with the most lucky canine buddy you can imagine! Peace and love, Jerry
J
What a lovely surprise to find a comment from you, Jerry! Yes, the love and joy that Mulder shared with us will give us the courage to open our hearts again, when we are ready.
Sarah
Oh this is a GREAT idea! We miss Beatrix so much, but we are really not ready for a new dog. A foster babystitting situation would be a perfect way to test the waters.
J
Thanks Sarah, yes, I am glad we had the opportunity to take him for a weekend. It reinforced two thoughts in my head and my heart. 1. I do want another dog at some point, they bring so much joy and happiness. 2. I am not ready yet.
I think of you and your Beatrix often, as she and Mulder died so close to each other, and both from Lymphoma. So heartbreaking.
Stephany
What a sweet story! Theo is such a handsome dog. I’m glad he warmed up for you, and you were able to help out with fostering for a short period of time. I needed a long time after my dog Dutch died to be ready for another pet. It was a good 10 months before I adopted my first cat!
J
Thanks Stephany,
Yes, Theo is a handsome boy, and he is going to make someone so very happy! In our case, yes, I’m not sure how long it will be for us, but I do know we’re not there yet.
San
Oh, of course it was bitter-sweet to have Theo with you over the weekend. He – or any other dog – could never replace Mulder, but I am happy to know that you’ve enjoyed having another dog around to mend your heart a little.
J
Thanks San, yes, having Theo here was a lot of fun, and it was rewarding to see him come out of his shell a bit.