Don't tell Glin, but next month she's getting fixed.

People ask me about whether or not I'm doing it, and the answer is clear: of course. In addition to that, I'm contractually obligated to do so. The breeder she came from makes all new owners sign a contract that the dog you buy will be spayed so she can control the blood line. I've had a lot of people turn their noses up when they hear this, but it's a fairly common practice nowadays with dogs who are pure-bred. There is a lot of money to be made with certain lines of dogs and Glin is from a show line of dogs, meaning that both of her parents are championship dogs. And though it means nothing to me in the grand scheme, or to anyone else, really, in the dog-breeding world it basically means that I, too, could make a whole lot of cash off of my dog.

But here's the thing: I don't want to. Nor do I care. That's not why I got her. My sister Kate is fond of saying that I didn't get Glin to show her off or amaze people with her tricks. I got her because I wanted a buddy. I don't spend my free time with her training her to do fantastical things, though she's got it in her if I wanted. Basically Glin and I spend our down time going for runs together, cuddling up on the couch, playing fetch and having long discussions, as we did tonight, as to whether or not we knew Lance Bass was gay all along.

(Glin says she knew. I argued that she couldn't have since she's really more into Nick Lachey and the Backstreet Boys and never paid that close attention.)

I never looked at having a dog as a showpiece for myself, though I know the calibur of dog that she is seems to negate such a statement. I can't help it - I like goldens. I grew up with them. But I don't have any desire to ever do the work required to breed dogs. Besides, it's better for her if she's spayed and it'll calm her down considerably when it's done. I would have done it months ago but the vet we go to doesn't do it until after a dog's first heat. Now that that happy event has come and gone, I've made the appointment.

Subssequently I've taken the following three days off from work, just in case.

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In other news, you people really, REALLY like looking at ugly pictures of me. Never have I had a group of Flickr pictures be so viewed as I have the ones I posted the other day.

Really people. You're all such bitches.

Posted by Erin at 08:17 PM | filed under: Glin

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