Happy New Year, Ice Train

A follow-up on a story I mentioned a couple posts ago:

Ice Train (formerly known as "Nobie") has been adopted.

The story actually raises a couple of issues, as far as I'm concerned.

First, dogs shouldn't be gifts to others. I guess it seems easy to say to yourself, "Joe needs a pup. It would complete his life." But as independent as I am, I'd have major problems if Alpha and Beta weren't here to let me in and out of the house, and get the food out of the closet, and drive me around on errands. Sure, I can drive, but straight lines are a problem, especially when I see a rabbit. Or a cow. Or a suspicious-looking tree. So it's just better if I let one of them do it. And then there's the case of Ankle-Biter. He can't even get on or off the bed by himself for those few minutes of pack-time every night.

Now, I most certainly understand gifting your child with a pup. Kids and pups just seem to go together, as long as your space allows roaming room for both. Chances are excellent that you know your child well enough to recognize whether it will be appropriate or not. And are willing and able to take up the slack when your child lapses.

Second, this Siberian husky got his purebred heinie frozen to the railroad tracks. You can imagine how my impression of purebred smarts went up after that.

No, if you must give an animal gift, give me a nice, fat, one-step-too-slow squirrel. Or rabbit.