Dr. Seuss' "missing book" What Pet Should I Get? has finally hit the shelves! This lost manuscript, believed to have been written sometime between 1958 and 1962, wrestles with the question most of us do at some point or another: what pet SHOULD I get?
Well, the YMC team also has some opinions on that. And so we're sharing our favourite pets.
Muskwa
This was Muskwa: a dog I rescued from a northern Manitoba First Nation's Reserve, who was half wolf. I thought I was saving him, but he actually saved my life. Until having him, I didn't realize how protective, loving and smart dogs could be. It was a very sad day when Muskwa had to be put down at age 13, which is rare for a hundred-pound dog. He's in my heart forever. xox
This is Skitter Midnight, our 1 year old black bear hamster. He is small, clean, tolerant, potty trained and my allergic kiddo does not get stuffy or itchy around him. And, she LOVES him. That alone, is worth having a rodent in the house.
Duncan (the Wonder Cat) came into our lives just before we lost our dog and went through a huge transition. He's equal parts badness and snuggles, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
He's also a notorious pillow stealer and bedtime routine disrupter.
We adopted Bear, suspected of being a cockapoo, in October. She is four and like a live teddy bear. No itchy eyes for any of us, gentle and sweet. She does like to pull people's socks off but we blame this on the time she spent working in a high-end shoe store (not kidding). This is our first dog and I cannot imagine life without her.
My kids really wanted a pet so we found our cockatiel Bazoopee online. We named the bird after the German Shorthaired Pointer we used to have. Ironically our bird acts like a dog in some ways. She is very loyal. She likes to follow me around the house. Instead of barking she whistles. She cuddles with me while I work. I never thought that little Bazoopee would become such a big part of our family's life.
Sunny is part of the family but he is definitely my bird. He is a budgie who we were only meant to bird sit for a short while, but ended up coming to us as his forever home.
At this point I don't know what a day without listening to his song. would be like and when he watched his favourite video (Elmo!) he goes, as my kids call it, "Crazy Bananapants" with happiness. He is relatively easy to care for and he loves when I sing "his" song: Sunny, by Boney M.
He's small but he takes up a lot of room in my heart. XO
Harlow, our "Frug," (pug and French bulldog mix), is the best thing that's happened to us in a long time. I knew we had made the right choice when my kids said they could not even remember what life was like before we had Harlow.
Sammie was our first "child"! We rescued Sammie from the Toronto SPCA. She was a 5 month old pup with severe burns on her back frown emoticonher previous owner had been abusive and our hearts just broke! We took her home and haven't look back.
-- Jessica Gedge
Ozzy
I was NEVER going to let my kids get a dog. Two years ago, they suckered me into it. Now I would never be without one. I made sure to train Ozzy VERY well as a puppy.....because I like my dogs like I like my kids - well trained.
We have Rosey, almost 2 year old Olde English Bulldogge. My son's best friend and my own big fur baby. She's goofy and loveable and crazy and stubborn.
Finnegan is our first baby! When we went to the Humane Society to choose a fur-ever friend, he chose us by yelping and twirling as we walked up to his kennel. He is 10 now and has seen us through joy and sadness and gives back only love. He checks on "his boys" each night as we go to bed and can often be found sleeping in the hall between their rooms to guard them at night (but only after his nighttime snuggle with Mom & Dad).
Chili (short for Chili dog) is the best dog we've ever owned. Lab/Boxer/Retreiver/Something cross - almost 2years old now. So sweet-tempered and loving- with so many foster kids coming in and out she has put up with a lot of strangers in her space and has made each one feel over-loved - which has been a huge plus. I think when foster kids leave they miss her more than us.
-- Karen Steyn
Juno and Sidney
Bbest buds, co-dependent freaks, bed-sharers. Nobody told them they weren't supposed to love each other.
Out of all the German Shepherds I've ever owned (and that's all I've had), Juno was the best. Loved her kids and any kids who walked through the door, kept an eye on them all, and refused to let them have all the fun. She would happily play along as Nyla's pony when she built horse jumps in the backyard or house, and was our constant companion, camping dog, hiking buddy, and foot licker. She had a foot fetish - they can't be perfect.
Rescue dogs Roger & Maya (married in 2009...not kidding—we had a full ceremony complete with bow wow vows & a dog biscuit cake) and a frisky feline named Kevin who we sprung from the pound, make our family complete. The more pets the merrier (and hairier)!
This is Sarah attempting to be a lap dog as she partially sits on my daughter's lap. She is a bloodhound who we rescued from a shelter in Ohio 3 months ago. It's been a rough start for Sarah as she had never been in a city or even a house before! Glad to say she is starting to find her place with us, her new family.
But, I must mention this 'selfie' of Millie our Lab/Shepard who passed away 2 months before rescuing Sarah. She completed our family for 14 years as she made us laugh and love everyday. Oy, the the trouble she used to get into!
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