After Travis turned 1, I wanted another puppy BAD but it was taking a little while to warm Jon up to the idea. We just got engaged and had plenty of things on our mind. Between setting the date, finding the perfect place for the wedding, an awesome place to party after the ceremony, and dealing with all the tiny nitty gritty details, we had our hands full.
But Travis was an active puppy that still had to be fed. And we were out of dog food. So we decided to run some errands on a nice Saturday afternoon in the Spring of 2007. We went to our local pet store, which happened to also sell puppies. We were both kinda giddy and decided to walk around and browse the puppies, as we often did. One puppy caught our eye - she was so cute and white and cuddly. The little thing was curled up in the corner, all pitiful. Jon and I decided to ask the store staff to let us take a look at her.
We waited patiently in the small area designated for people to play with puppies. When the store staff member was finally able to grab her and hand her to us, we were surprised. She was so ugly! I mean, ugly! Like, huge under-bite, scruffy, gremlin-looking ugly. Jon and I exchanged disgusted looks and beckoned the store worker over before she ran off and left us holding this pitiful looking gremlin. The lady walked over and took the puppy back from us with a deep sigh. She explained that this pitiful puppy was a mix of pug and schnauzer and although the rest of the litter came out rather cute, she was the ugly one. She'd been in the store for over 4 months now and if they couldn't sell her in the next couple of weeks, they would have to give her to a kill shelter.
Jon and I exchanged teary looks. I reached back out for the pitiful gremlin and held her close. How could they do that to an innocent tiny puppy who was in no way responsible for being so unfortunate looking? I pouted my lips at Jon and tilted my head in the cutest, most pitiful way I could muster in hopes that it would win my already weaning husband over. I could see that he felt just as bad for the gremlin as I did.
After a very quick phone call to Jim and Sandi to make sure that they wouldn't mind a second dog in the apartment, we decided to talk to the manager of the store. Jim and Sandi couldn't say "no" after I told them the full story of the gremlin. And the store manager was happy to be rid of her and offered us a 50% discount if we took her home. Jon and I smiled and agreed to bring the gremlin home.
On our ride home with the new puppy, we decided to call her Cailey (somehow calling her gremlin felt a little mean). Cailey was a skiddish little pup, terrified of everything around her.
But we were easy to warm up to.
And Travis did his best to help out.
Personally, I think he was excited to be a big brother.
And out little family felt complete. At least for the time being.
In fact, Cailey turned out to be one of the best dogs we've ever known. She listens well, is loyal to us, and just loves cuddling up on the couch. She's still very unfortunate looking, but you forget it quickly when she comes barreling into you with her gremlin face. Our friends often look down on the gremlin when they meet her, but find themselves in love with her, sometimes even trying to take her home with them. She steals your heart with her terrible underbite, her stiff legs, and her awkwardness. We love you Cai Cai and can't imagine life without you.
Our little Trixie was the same way. She was a mix of mini greyhound and a pit bull. She had the broad chest of the pit but the long skinny legs of the greyhound, then she had these huge ears that stood straight up. UGLY!! But she wiggled her way into our hearts and we thought she was the best thing ever. When she passed away last May our household was devastated! Even today we get teary-eyed when we talk about our little Trix.
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