We have a new family member ...

Yep, we have a new family member. His name is Patches (or Patch, not really sure which it "really" is) and he is the sweetest little boy you could ever meet. Patches is a Japanese Chin. Not many people know WHAT that is but we do. I was given a Chin when I was 17 by a boyfriend who's mother bred and showed Chins. Once we had Eternity (yes, that was my dog's name. That's a whole 'nother story ...) we added Hollywood (another Chin we "found" sitting in a cage in a pet store in Plano, Texas). Hollywood and Eternity lived to be very, very old and both died when Petunia was a few years old. At that point, my parents vowed they would NEVER get another dog.

Well, NEVER say NEVER ... Earlier this year my dad saw a commercial for an animal shelter in East Texas which had a Japanese Chin. Knowing how "rare" these dogs are, he called to inquire about adopting it. Someone else had jumped at the chance and that dog was already gone when he called. Well, that set him on a "hunt" for a Chin.

In his search, he found the Japanese Chin rescue organization. He filled out an application and that started this whole ball rolling. Part of the adoption process involves a "home study" where someone who is associated with the rescue organization comes to your home (I guess to make sure it is "safe") and completes the interview process. These people are VERY serious about their jobs. Not just anybody can adopt a rescue dog. So, the lady who came to do my parent's home study quickly became friends with my parents. She lives relatively close to my parents and raises and breeds Chins herself. She invited my children to come visit the next time they were in town.

The next week was Spring Break, so naturally my kids were in Tyler.. My parents took the kids to visit their new friend Pepper. The kids immediately loved being with the dogs. There was one lone puppy who was so timid and shy that he was hunkered down in a corner. Of course Petunia took right to him. His name was ... Patches.

Patches is "special". He was definitely behind the door when the Lord was handing out the pretty genes. He must have been napping when the doggie "bite" gene was being handed out as well. Needless to say, he was so "special" that he wasn't worth much many (to a breeder anyway). Pepper told Petunia that she would sell her Patches for $100 if we said it was OK. Dad and I agreed (I think Dad didn't think she would actually save up enough money. She doesn't have the best track record when it comes to saving money). By the time Petunia's birthday rolled around, she had saved enough money so we didn't have much of a choice but to allow her to use her money to purchased our new friend.

Now, being the one in the family who said I really didn't want to add ANOTHER dog to the family I must admit, I'm in love! Patches is the sweetest little creature. He fits in perfectly to our crazy home. He actually brings some calmness to our manic family. He turned one on Wednesday (7.15.09) and was already potty trained when we got him (HALLELUJAH!!!). He prefers to sit next to you on the couch and snuggle (you know how I LOVE to snuggle!) and rarely barks (he saves that for the mornings when he sees the big dogs). Dad calls him Ugly (and who can argue with that? He is...) but we LOVE him!