My New Dog!

Three weeks ago, my husband and I returned from vacation on a Wednesday, then drove to the pound on a Thursday. 

We went to see one specific dog: a Rottweiler mix named Timmy. Online, the pound had called Timmy a big softie in a Rottie suit. They guessed he was about 4 years old and likely had been house-trained because he kept his kennel clean. He knew sit, and came when called, but was shy with new people.

Someone had found him roaming free and brought him into the pound back in April. He had no chip or collar or tag to help anyone figure out who his owner was.

I first saw him online in early June, but we were out of the state. I checked on him every few days until we returned to New Mexico. Timmy was still there. 

If you've known me for a while, you'll know that I had a big, doofy Rottweiler named Panzer, who'd developed epilepsy when he was 5 years old. My husband and I managed to keep him another year, but his condition could not be controlled, and finally his life had gotten so difficult and miserable that we put him down. We've been in mourning for a year. 

So we renamed Timmy and brought him home. He's Rommel now—a nod both to his German heritage and to his tank-like proportions, and to Panzer, who came before him.

Timmy is no Panzer. He is 30 pounds lighter, for starters. And the online description was right: whoever had him when he was a pup taught him well. In the three weeks we've had him, he's never taken anything off a tabletop or counter, he's not gotten on the furniture or chewed on anything except his toys. He's only peed once in the house, and that was during a very loud thunderstorm. He sleeps all night on the floor next to my bed, and he walks well on leash (most of the time!) And while he's become devoted to both my husband and to me, he's still more than shy with other people. Not aggressive: he might growl, but he also backs up and wants to be as far away from others as he can possibly get. 

We've been told that there's a rule of three when adopting a dog. For the first three days, they might feel overwhelmed, unsure of their place, and not comfortable enough to be themselves. After three weeks, they start settling in and may begin to show their personality. It's also when behavior issues might start to appear. This is true with Rommel. Although he was shy around others from the beginning, he's now a little more cocky when I'm training him. He always came on command until this week, when he's sometimes ran the other way, then looked back to see if I'll correct him. It often takes three months for dogs to gain a complete sense of security with a new family and built trust with the outside world.

So welcome, Rommel. We're glad you're here, and we hope you stay with us a long, long time. And during that time, we hope you learn that the world is full of wonderful people who would love to have you trust them enough to let them pat you on the head. 

Jennifer Bohnhoff writes contemporary and historical fiction for middle grade through adult readers, and she loves to give presentations on the history and settings of her stories to classrooms, libraries, and book groups. You can read more about her and her books here, on her website.