Dobby

Some of us might have chosen to wait a while longer after losing our beloved Sirius before getting a new dog.  Tonks was not in that camp.  Though she didn't overtly mourn him, she missed dog companionship.  She would stare up at us wanting something, but she didn't know what it was and it wasn't anything we could give her.  She paced around the house looking for that something and not finding it. Then we went to WI and Tonks stayed with our friend Deanna.  She said Tonks was very different from the last time she visited and needed a dog companion.  Totally right.

So, we made the decision to get another dog.  The girls and I visited a few and then THE ONE. He was interested in us, not just the surroundings.  He sat on the girls' lap and licked them.  He was calm, in and out of his cage.  We were, in Brian's words, smitten.  We filled out the application and put him on hold pending meeting Brian & Tonks.  Saturday afternoon the meeting went well and Kai was ours!

Dobby in the backyard on Saturday, shortly after his adoption.

Of course, we couldn't have a dog named Kai, we needed a Harry Potter name! I went through the list of HP names.  The girls liked Albus, because he's white, but it's too hard to say when calling a dog.  Brian said Draco.  Um, no.  You do know that he named our other dog, Tonks? That Tonks in the books is a loveable but very clumsy character? That our Tonks broke her damn leg within 10 minutes of being in our house once adopted? Yes, I was not having that sort of self-fulfilling prophecy with this dog and the name Draco.

I made a list, Neville, Dobby, Seamus, Kingsley, and Cedric, which I posted on Facebook along with some pictures.  Though I was not soliciting votes, there was one for Kingsley, two or three for Cedric and about a million for Dobby.  Since that was Brian's first choice, mine and Stella's second choice, Dobby it was.  Sandis was mad for about 10 minutes.  She thought if we named him "Dobby" we were saying he was ugly.  She got over it, rather quickly, I might add.

Tonks is over the moon! She comes up to you all excited and then runs off to her new brother.  She runs circles around him in the yard and he happily plays with her.  She does NOT want to share her couch spot with him though and gives her growlthatsoundslikeababytoy which is enough to scare him off.  He is even more submissive than she is.  Yes, she who pees when you pet her to show her submission.  She who won't take the ball when playing fetch, even if she gets to it first.  Dobby, you would be starving in a wolf pack, buddy.  Lucky for him, we don't run on those rules in our house!

Dobby in the backyard today, note the lack of snow.  We were supposed to have snow this weekend.  Yeah right :P

Now Dobby, I need to speak to you directly.  Since you are officially a house elf, I expect some work out of you.  All previous dogs have been completely useless.  I ask them to get me a drink, pick up toys, do dishes...nothing.  Since you were born to serve, I expect you to clean up.  I will gladly give you Dumbledore's terms of employment, you needn't work for free and a day off a month will be happily given.  If you could, start with the children's room, it's a disaster.  Or perhaps you could finish painting the living room? Whichever you prefer.  Thanks so much.

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This is your friendly reminder to vote. All you do is click, which takes you to the website where you then do nothing. Or you can do something, but you don't have to do something. It's easy. Thanks :)