We got our first family dog on Friday. That's her in the photo. Her name is Charlie, and we're certain she's the best dog ever.  She's loving, she's beautiful, she's gentle, she's happy, she's calm inside the house and playful in the yard, and she doesn't bark. Yes, you read that right. A rescued animal we adopted from the shelter, and she doesn't bark! Best dog ever.

Getting a dog was a big step for our family, especially for me. Our son is 14 and our daughter is 10, and they've been asking for a dog for years. "Come on, Mom, your clients won't care if they hear a dog barking. Come on, Mom, we promise we'll take care of her. Come on, Mom, we really want a dog!" So this summer I finally started warming up to the idea, and Roger and I promised them that if they would show good responsibility for 8 weeks in a row, we would start looking. For a female dog, about 2 years old, with a calm disposition, not too big, and not a barker. So last week was our week to start looking, and suddenly I found myself not just eager to find the perfect dog, but missing her before we found her, like she'd been on a vacation or something and we were ready for her to come home.  

• Lesson #1: Trust your heart. When we got our time alone with Charlie in the visitation room, she was dirty and smelled awful. She'd only been rescued a week ago, and with 60 dogs to provide for and a small staff, the shelter could only take care of the absolute necessities.  And that left no time for a bath. But she looked at us with loving eyes, and offered her belly to rub, and our hearts told us she was the one. The longer we spent with her, the less we noticed the dirt and the smell, and the wider our hearts opened.

• Lesson #2: Take a nap when you're tired. If you do, you wake up feeling happy and refreshed and energetic. Need I say more?

• Lesson #3: Only bark when your most important priority is at stake. We found out today that Charlie can bark. Not when the doorbell rang or another dog walked by. Not because someone tried to pull her to the left when she wanted to go to the right. Not because she was hungry or needed to go outside - she cries softly when she needs those things. It was her new rawhide bone. Our son tried to take it from her, and she let out a loud "WOOF!" that startled and amused us all. We can make a lot of requests of her, like asking her to "Sit!" and "Shake!" about a hundred times in one day, and she's as calm and happy as ever. But try to take her bone, and she barks. She's got her priorities straight. The girl knows what she wants, and she doesn't worry much about anything else.
  

These lessons are great reminders for me. Maybe for you, too.