Maria and I have made up our minds.

We’re getting a Yellow Lab Puppy. I had a long talk with Lenore, the breeder, this morning, and I trust her completely.

She has been breeding Labs for 35 years, and she breeds first for health, and then for temperament.

(Note: The puppy above is not mine, it’s from the mother’s previous litter. Our puppy is not yet born.)

Her dogs have won a slew of awards for temperament and health.

My farm is crawling with rescue animals, and I much enjoy rescuing dogs, but this time I want a purebred dog whose temperament is so clear and bred into the line that she will be as good and trusted a therapy dog as Red.

To be sure of that, you must find a breeder who can go back at least five generations to track the temperament, health and bone structure of the line.

If aggression has never been in the line, it is extremely unlikely that it will be now. The same is true of hip problems and genetic illnesses like allergies.

The mother – her name is Garnett – is pregnant and expected to have up to seven pups in her litter, according to the ultra-sound.

Lenore asks for a $500 deposit now, the check will not be cashed until and if the puppy is born, is healthy, is what I want.

We talked about our ideas for training and leadership, and she and I are exactly on the same page. A good dog owner should be loving, clear and a leader, not a follower.

I mailed the check this morning, there is already a waiting list for these puppies, and they aren’t even born yet.

If we meet the puppy and Lenore approves and we want to bring it home, we will owe an additional $2,000. That’s what a well-bred dog costs, many breeds cost much more. Bud, who is a wonderful rescue dog, cost $1,000 after the rescue fees and the health care costs.

Rescue animals are not cheap these days either, but in any case,  that is a small amount of money to bring the right family and therapy dog into my life. Sometimes, you do get what you pay for.

The father and mother of my puppy both have health certificates and have been examined for hip and bone or genetic problems. I won’t have to worry about that.

When the puppies are six or seven weeks old, I’ll get videos of them and can get a sense of them, we are, of course, free to visit once they are healthy and safe from infection.

If I don’t want a puppy from the litter, my deposit will be returned.

I have no trouble getting a rescue dog, I have no trouble getting a purebred dog. If anybody has any problems with that, please consider getting lost, this is not the blog for you.

I will always get the dog I want,  not the dog other people tell me to get. Nobody who tells me how to get a dog is my friend.

Red was an extraordinarily well-bred dog, his temperament was something a very practiced breeder can sometimes bring about. But still, it’s rare.

It should not be one or the other – rescue or purebred – that is a false choice.  Most dog rescuers are not fraudulent, all breeders are not greedy thieves. I really hate how quickly people are labeled in this country: all liberals are socialists, all conservatives are racists.

Why don’t we know better?

And can we spare our dogs from this crippled way of thinking?

It should be what the dog owner wants and whether or not he or she can give the dog a good life.

This is not a moral exercise for me, I can go to Church if I want to be canonized or absolved of sin. This is a very practical decision, it is not a measure of love.

Some of the best dog experiences of my life have come from discussions between me and a breeder about the dog I want and need. A good breeder can deliver on that.  The odds go way up.

My puppy’s health will be guaranteed in writing.

Like anything else, a dog experience requires a lot of work and thought. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it. Deciding there is only one way to get a dog is a literal opposite of thoughtful. Dogs deserve careful consideration.

They are voiceless, but they must live with the consequences of our arrogance or ignorance.

I want this dog to do some serious therapy work, as Red did, and I can’t make it into a crapshoot or rolling of the dice, or an excuse to feel better than other people. No mistakes.

Dogs are my work and a great part of my life. This is what I do. One reader posted a message saying I was quite predictable. Perhaps, but I should be,  I’ve been clear from the beginning since Red died.

I want another dog, I’d rather train than grieve, there is nothing I know if that is more healing than that.

It’s a big deal bringing an animal into a house for 10 to 15 years.

It’s worth a lot of thought and a lot of money. I am very happy to have Bud, but I was shocked at how many problems he had and how much training he needed and needs.

If it’s a female, and I think that’s what I want, we like the name of Zinnia (Maria’s favorite flower) we can call her “Zin” for short. That’s not cast in stone.

One syllable names are best for training. I’m not sure what we will call the dog if we end up getting a male.

Garnett is due to give birth on September 20th, which means we couldn’t bring the dog home until just around Thanksgiving. Bedlam Farm is a great country for Labs, open spaces to play and run, fenced dog areas, woods to romp in, disgusting stuff to eat.

I’m not disclosing the breeder’s full name and kennel’s title just yet. She may not be used to the kind of e-mail I sometimes get.

Labs thrive in the cool weather, we have plenty of walking trails and two people who love dogs work at home.

So here we go, another chapter, another great adventure, another chance to write about a new dog and training and therapy work. All to the good. Stay tuned, as you probably know by now, I will share it all.