Roxanne, you don’t have to put out the red light…

Well, after years of waiting, and months of searching, we finally found a dog for our family. It was a tough choice. I have been very set on an english cocker spaniel for many months. We even had ourselves on the puppy list for the two dogs being bred in Utah. But, in both cases the litters fell through. I was very disappointed. I was even more disappointed to find out that other puppies from around the country cost in the neighborhood of $900 and $1,000. Unfortunately, the van needs a new clutch and brake slave, which is nearly $700 at the mechanic, so… We decided to wait.

Well, I happened to look in the Salt Lake newpaper on-line and I saw that someone was selling an english springer spaniel. My mind started turning. I figured that it would be a while until we could afford an ECS. Even then, I’m not sure if I could feel good about spending $1,000 on an ECS when we still struggle to get our kids in soccer and swimming. So, we called on the springer. Jamie and I had the day off so we went south to West Jordan to take a look at her, and came home that evening with Roxy. To be honest, the real kicker was her birthday. November 17, 2005. We share the same birthday! OK. Maybe a coincidence, but I like connections…

Susie came up with the name Roxy because she really likes the song Roxanne by the Police. I was a little stumped, though, when Becca asked “Dad, what does it mean to ‘put out the red light?'” Think quick, Jason! “Uh, it’s just something some folks do in Paris…” Anyway, now we call her Roxy and the kids think she’s fantastic.

So, now we have a liver and white english springer puppy. She spent about 2 hours Saturday night checking the place out. Now she is playing like crazy and her little tail hasn’t stopped zinging since. We have her crate set up in the bedroom, and she is comfortable in it. We’re making it her safe place so that she won’t be stressed getting in it if she is a nuisance with visitors or if she has to spend time at the vet, like when she get F-I-X-E-D.

I was really surprised, though, by the reaction of the cats. They both could tell something was up right when we got home. As soon as we put her on the floor, both cats were right up in her face, sniffing her nose. They aren’t behaving agressively at all! They are behaving intensely curious, though. I don’t think the cats have been farther than 5 feet from her since she came in the house. Catarina, in particular, seems to think it is her mission to keep an eye on her. Sneaker keeps circling, and when Roxy settles down to chew on her toys, he sits down watching her from just a couple feet away. At one point Roxy decided that the cats might be fun to play with, and started prancing and growling at them, head down and rear end high up. She was bouncing back and forth and the cats just looked at her with that superior, disdainful expression that cats are so good at. Then she started jumping forward, like she would like to pounce on the cats. Sneaker tolerated that pretty well. Caterina, though, got a little puffed up. Then, the moment we were waiting for happened. Roxy got a little too close, and “YIP!” It doesn’t look like Catarina scratched her. More likely she just popped her one, and it scared her. Whatever the case, she has given the cats a respectful distance ever since.

Well, we are all excited to have Roxy in the family. Susie and Becca are looking forward to doing agility with her. I’m looking forward to taking her to work with me and training her to be a therapy pet for our senior clients and for the local elementary schools. Jamie and I are also looking forward to Xander having a buddy to play with when Katie starts going to kindergarten in the fall.