MOE!!

*Isn't this a great "kids with dog" photo?

After what must have been the longest dog search in the history of dog domestication (our friends in D.C. may have given us a run for the money--having gone through two dogs before settling on their current beloved--but I think our search spanned more months), we adopted Moe last Wednesday from ADOPT in Naperville. I can't say enough good things about ADOPT, and if you are in the Chicagoland area and are searching for a pet, I highly recommend them. The difference between ADOPT and the first "shelter" we worked with (from whence poor Lucy hailed) is staggering.

It hasn't quite been a week, but so far Moe is, well, Moe. I've never met a dog quite like him. The first thing you should know about Moe is that people who have met him or worked with him (other volunteers at ADOPT along with his former foster mom) all say, "I love that dog!" In fact, I was out for drinks with a neighbor on Friday, and she told me a friend of hers volunteers at ADOPT and came this close to adopting Moe. "I love that dog!" is what she said. And that, my friends, is why Moe's name is in all caps and has TWO exclamation points. Because it's kind of how people who know him say his name.

Here are a few other things you should know about Moe:

1. First, the question on everyone's mind: Dean has not broken into hives (yet) or had any other allergy symptoms. (The hives appeared with Lucy after 24 hours, so I'm optimistic). Also, this seems the appropriate place to settle one question once and for all: I did not force my husband to live with an animal he is allergic to. The dog search was as much his idea as it was mine. And for those of you who still doubt me, let me remind you: I gave up a much beloved cat to move in with Dean. Does that sound like a wife that would then force her husband to get a dog and live in misery?

2. Moe is very well mannered, and he's extremely quiet. He doesn't bark or make any other kind of noise.

3. He can also be a teeny bit mopey at times. He was treated for heartworm a month ago, and he may still not feel 100%.

4. He seems to love us--if tail wagging is any indication. He's still not quite sure about the little one (she makes a lot of noise and moves too fast for his liking), but he has definitely bonded with Ella.

5. He's a bit of a weirdo. He won't walk down the back stairs into the backyard, which is a pain in the ass. And he sheds everywhere (duh), which is also a pain in the ass. Lucy's hair color blended in with our floors, so it didn't bother me nearly as much.

6. He is VERY friendly. In this way, he is the opposite of Lucy. Kids, adults, dogs--all are welcome to greet our sweet Moe. I don't have to worry about growling or barking or biting, and in this sense, I know now that giving Lucy back was the absolute right thing to do.

7. He is VERY tolerant--especially with the little one. Which I think is exactly what a family with little ones needs in a dog.

8. He is (as the girls would say) a "total mutt." I am already tiring of people asking what breed he is (I'm guessing that will never end). ADOPT called him "part shepherd, part cattle dog." We think (and the vet agreed) that he might also have some husky in him. Dean thinks he is built like a pit bull (stocky and short). He's 32 pounds, and everyone agrees he's "a good size." (This is Sadie's first evaluation of any dog--where or not it is a "good size.") As much as I LOVE labs, the size of that breed seemed to be a little intimidating for the girls.

9. He is ours. We adopted Moe (we're not fostering him). And despite feeling like he could maybe be a little more active and a little more playful (which may happen on its own once the heartworm resolves), I think he is a pretty great fit so far.

Welcome, Moe! Or, rather, welcome MOE!!