For months I have debated whether it was right to invite another puppy into my life and last week the decision was made to get the apartment ready for one. Some basic supplies were acquired, as well as a bed, some toys, and a cage. It was important to me that things be arranged ahead of time to reduce the chaos that generally follows the arrival of an energetic, young mammal. The only question left to be answered was "Where will I find a puppy?"
There are a few pet shops in the surrounding neighbourhoods and I've been to them all. Most of the common domestic breeds were present except for Corgis. Miniature dachshunds, such as Nozomi, would appear on occasion. Would it be right to bring a dachshund home, though? Nozomi cannot be replaced. Perhaps a different breed, then?
Today I made the trek to Katsushika on the northern edge of Tokyo to look at some puppies. A reputable pet shop was selling dogs with a 30,000円1 discount and there was a white-furred 柴犬2 that I had seen online that piqued my interest. The question was whether that puppy would be interested in coming home with me.
When Nozomi and I met for the first time, she wanted to play right away and was chewing on my thumb until it bled. A week later she came home. Would this white puppy do the same? Would a different puppy catch my eye? Would I go and find a cat instead?
Too many questions. Sometimes it's best to just go.
The pet shop was quite busy with people looking at the many kittens that were playing in the one section of the store. I walked over to the dogs and saw a number of poodles, cocker spaniels, chihuahuas, and miniature dachshunds. There were also golden retrievers and french bulldogs. And, at the far end of the wall down at floor level, was a white-furred 柴犬. She was sleeping on a towel with a rope toy under one paw. After a short conversation with one of the sales staff, I was able to sit with the little dog.
Puppies must feel a constant amount of stress while they're in a shop. They're often separated from other dogs and kept in a cage where they can be seen from the front or the back. The environment is not at all a natural one and the noise from the vehicles outside is likely distracting. To make matters worse, there are strange creatures that walk on two legs who come along and touch them all the time. So when the little dog was on my lap, it was no surprise that she was quietly investigating me.
There was no biting. There was no barking. There was just sniffing here and there. While this was going on, the sales person and I had a conversation about the differences between this breed of dog and dachshunds. Then came the question: Would I like to bring her home?
Being an illogical sort of person, I asked the dog. She didn't show any signs of disliking me and was quite the calm puppy. I thought that we might be a good match for each other and agreed to bring her home. Paperwork was filled out. Money was exchanged.
"Have you decided on a name?" the sales person asked as she reviewed the forms I filled out.
"Yes. Her name will be Ayumi." I then explained why.
Ayumi's name is spelled with two kanji: 歩光. 歩 means "walking" or "progress". 光 means "light".
A little over an hour later, she was at home and exploring the apartment.
Some things I already know about her:
- she will pee on any soft surface, so the living room rug will be put away for a while
- she is fascinated by the camera shutter sound
- she loves to eat human toes
- she loves to play
- she is very good at using toilet sheets … when there are no soft surfaces around
Welcome home, Ayumi-chan.
30,000円 is about $225 USD as of this entry.
Shiba Ken / Shiba Inu
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Jeremy Cherfas