Like most modern love affairs, my love for Sophie started via social media. The boy and I adopted Fred in July of 2015, and as a result, my Facebook newsfeed was full of adoptable dogs from City Dogs Rescue. I became an active member of CDR’s alumni Facebook group, so I had the inside intel from foster families and “pullers” (volunteers who work to rescue dogs from rural shelters) on dogs coming to DC. Part of me knew that we would eventually have two dogs. Now I know that if I had more space and money, I would probably have my own farm full of animals. I am basically the Chip Gaines of this relationship.

Sophie’s pictures had me from the get-go. Her foster in West Virginia took what I can only describe as doggie model shots (above and below) and posted videos of Sophie playing with her foster siblings. She was beautiful and her play style seemed similar to Fred’s. She was an ideal size, smaller than Fred but still big enough to hold her own with him. Her shelter photos were heartbreaking and tugged at me just like Fred’s story did months earlier. I found out later that Sophie was an “owner surrender”, meaning someone who was supposed to be taking care of her actually dropped her off at the shelter like this. We think she was probably tied up outside, and no one was feeding her.

I saw that Sophie needed a foster over Christmas and I begged Kyle to let her live with us for a bit. I’m sure he saw what was coming. Shortly after agreeing to foster her, I started to see some chatter on our alumni page about interest in her. In my head, she was already my dog. I still remember the morning in December that I causally attempted to convince Kyle that she needed to be ours. Kyle sat at the Kitchen table while I made my coffee and pleaded my case. Other people were interested! I had to act fast! Fred needs a playmate! She is perfect for us! My arguments weren’t my best and he had a thousand great reasons why we should be a one dog household, but I managed to win him over. It wasn’t my most rational decision, but most of my best decisions aren’t.

Not surprisingly, Sophie wasn’t exactly what I expected from her social media profile. Anyone who has been to our house knows that Fred is a Velcro dog and Sophie is not. Being used to a dog who prefers to spend most of the day with his head in my lap, I wasn’t quite sure what to do with Sophie when we got her. Despite my instant social media connection, I struggled a little with a connection in person. She played really well with Fred and was pretty chill, but she was SUPER independent. We technically didn’t adopt her until January because City Dogs Rescue has this great foster-to-adopt program which, under certain conditions, gives potential adopters seven days to determine whether a dog is a good fit for your family. I honestly thought about not finalizing the adoption, but that felt too much like giving up. She and Fred didn’t snuggle, but they did wrestle and play constantly from day one. I also appreciated that she wasn’t immediately comfortable with her new people. At the end of the day, I’m much more like her than I am like Fred.

Let me pause here and say that I realize that Facebook is a silly way to pick a dog. A more ideal way to get a second dog would have been to look at various profiles, foster for a while or attend lots of adoption events, and let Fred pick his new buddy. We might actually have dog snuggles if we had done that. But I also think that committing to a dog before you’ve met is a good thing. The reality is that no dog will be perfect or easy. It’s really hard to tell on day one or two or ten what that dog’s lifetime will look like with you. No dog is the perfect fit, and committing yourself early in the process to making an adoption work will help you work through challenges in the future.

And Sophie has been challenging. Fred was never really interested in chewing stuff, but I can’t begin to count how many times I’ve found Sophie with a tissue box or a pair of underwear. Her latest thing is to rip apart the toilet paper roll so that she can get to the cardboard and tear it off the holder. We’re on TP role #4 in three days (you’d think we could remember to close the bathroom door). She’s skittish around loud noises. She howls at thunder, which can be particularly problematic when it’s 4am and you live in a townhouse. She’s not very food motivated so motivating her to participate in training can be tough, although she’s learned over time to appreciate treats. Last April I took her to obedience school as a bonding experience. I basically spent six weeks of class and $200 clicking and giving her tiny pieces of cheese as a reward for casually glancing in my direction. The trainer praised me for, “meeting Sophie where she is.” (By the way, I really do think there are some great life skills to learn from dog training).

Despite the challenges, Sophie has been easier than Fred in many ways. Her general energy is so much more laid back than Fred’s and she settles quickly in most situations. She’s super easy at the vet, and I’ve never caught her drinking water out of dishes in the sink. The first day I picked her up from doggie daycare, the handlers there told me she was a “very tolerant dog” (see above). Sophie requires very little physical attention. I love Fred snuggles, but there are certain disadvantages to a dog who needs to be next to you ALL THE TIME. If we had two, there’s no way I’d be able to type this post with two hands.

I jokingly call Sophie my princess, partly because she is actually quite elegant and graceful, and partly because she has us all, including Fred, wrapped around her little paw. She always leaves us wanting more. To this day, Sophie’s idea of snuggling normally involves laying her head on your foot. I can count on one hand the number of times that she has laid in bed next to me (something they aren’t allowed to do anymore). If you are lucky enough, you might be the recipient of what I call the “Sophie Drive-By”, which involves an enthusiastic hop in your direction, a brief nose to your face or a paw in your lap, and an exit as quick as the greeting. If I am lucky enough, she’ll wake me up like that tomorrow morning.

I think we may see more snuggles from her eventually. She has warmed to belly rubs in recent months, and within the last few weeks she has started saddling up next to me for some good scratches after I let her out of her crate. She’s super playful and loves to squirm around on the floor, asking you to play with her. Her ears are so damn cute and I find it difficult to leave her alone instead of smother her with pets because I find her so adorable.

In some ways, having two dogs is more work. If one dog gets into something, the other is likely to follow. Walking two pulling dogs and training two dogs to walk nicely is tough. Still, they burn more energy together than they ever would just walking. Instead of Fred going nuts and trying to play with me when I get home, he and Sophie have nightly wrestlemania on the living room rug. I find it totally entertaining to watch their interactions, especially since Sophie tends to be the instigator when it comes to play. The hardest part of having two dogs is the expense, but it feels like a worthwhile investment. They provide me daily entertainment and I love having two dogs in the house when the boy has a late night at work or has to travel. My hounds are great company. They’re my buddies and I love them so very much.

Happy adoptiversary, Sophie! I can’t wait to see how much more progress we make in the next year.

Fred and Sophie were both adopted through City Dogs Rescue + City Kitties, a wonderful animal rescue organization in Washington, DC responsible for saving the lives of both our beloved pets and many others. They have an incredible support network of alumni and volunteers and do wonderful work towards their mission to rescue animals. Consider donating to City Dogs Rescue today. 

Like these images? See more by following @FredandSophie on Instragram.