Plus and Minus Linus

** It's been almost two months since I updated this
thing, so my thanks to all who hung in there. **

So it's been four paws and eight weeks since my last post.

The gentleman pictured above is Linus, a one year old shih tzu that Brooke and I selected to foster through Chicago Canine Rescue Foundation, a wonderful no-kill shelter that places homeless pets with temporary and permanent owners. Eight months after losing Dana Monster, we decided fostering was a great way of having a dog around without the permanent commitment. It's also nice that CCRF covers all vet expenses while you're a foster parent ... including the visit where, as we say, Linus lost his Liney Beans. As we learned, the poor dog had a rough first year. He was rescued from a puppy mill and bounced around a couple different shelters before Brooke and I met him, so we were happy to give him a good home.

Brooke grew up with a shih tzus and loves the breed, so it was an easy choice and she got attached right away. Rarely did I walk into a room he wasn't curled up in her lap or on his back comatose while his belly was scratched.

With me it was a different story.

Like Brooke, I liked Linus since we the moment we found him. His unkempt mane and trademark underbite gave him a scrappy appearance which, in my opinion, belied the fact that he was a froofy lapdog breed. Unfortunately, Linus could never really warm up to me. Despite the fact that I'd also indulge him with pettings and compliments, he'd go into hiding whenever I entered a room and our walks devolved into comical scene about a 6'3" guy practically dragging a reluctant 15-pound dog around the block.

I tried to be a good sport, but it sorta crushed me that "our" dog - who's supposed to always be jazzed to see you - seemed afraid of me no matter how hard I tried. Did I resemble some bearded version of Cruella DeVille from his previous life? Whatever the reason, I felt like I was helping to dogsit Brooke's best friend most of the time ... and if you know me, you know I'm not great with sharing a spotlight.

So when we got a call from CCRF saying someone wanted to adopt Linus, I was torn. I knew it would be difficult for Brooke to give him away, but also that the current arrangement wasn't working out quite how we hoped. Luckily, the adoption application was submitted by a family in the south suburbs who had a big backyard, two kids and an enormous English bulldog called Murphy. Giving up Linus was still rough, but the decision was made easier knowing he was going to a good home.

Today we got an email from Linus's new family letting us know he was doing well. Written in the first person, it says, things like "I am adjusting to my new life here ... three kids and two parents there is always something going on." and "Our backyard is a lot of fun. It is large and full of grass we run around all day – well I do most of the running and Murphy kinda just watching me run around him."

The photo they attached says it all ... especially the sign in the background. Check it out here.