Taoiseach, the Dog


*Doing something she does best, sleeping on the bed*	*She can be so mischievous!*

Taoiseach is my little girl. She is my source of unconditional love: always happy to see me and wanting to play ball. She's happy when I come home from work, as well as when we get up in the morning. I don't know what I'd do without her.

The Name
Taoiseach is Gaelic for warrior or chieftain. It is also the term the Irish people call their prime minister. Now how did I come up with that name for a dog? I was watching C-SPAN one night my junior year in college. One of my roommates was a political science major, so we'd watch C-SPAN and debate the issues. On this particular evening, the channel was showing coverage of the Irish parliament, as a new prime minister had been elected - Bertie Ahern. MPs were making speeches, congratulating the new prime minister. I thought to myself, "Taoiseach - that's a good name for a dog." Nine years later, it came true.

Adoption
In February 2000, my boyfriend, Matt, and I were looking for a dog. We had talked about getting one but never really acted on it. One Saturday afternoon, we visited the Dallas Humane Society to look, and found one that we liked. Instead of taking that dog, we decided to think about the dog over the weekend. While the dog was cute and nice, there wasn't that instant spark between the three of us. After much consternation, we decided that we would adopt our first choice.

We returned to the adoption center during lunchtime on Monday. While we were contemplating our first choice again, I started to look at the other dogs in the kennels. That's when I saw my baby girl! Her information card said that she was a German Shepard mix and had been "picked up" in Lufkin, Texas. But she didn't appear to have any German Shepard qualities, so we think that the card had been misplaced.

I asked one of the center's workers if I could take her into one of the visitation rooms. Matt and I waited until this worker brought her to us. Initially, the dog was a bit skiddish, but warmed to us almost immediately. We played for a few minutes, and there was an instant attraction between the three of us. Matt left the room to talk to the front desk about adoption, while I continued to play with her. This was our first bonding session.

After filling out the necessary paperwork, she was reserved for us. As with all adoptions from the Humane Society, the dog needed to be spayed before we could take her home. That surgery was scheduled for the next day, after which we pick her up and take her home. That Monday, we went to Petsmart and bought a kennel, toys, dog food and all the necessities to make our home hers as well.

On Tuesday, we returned to the Dallas Humane Society to bring our little girl home. She was still groggy from the surgery - I would be too if they took out my "parts". I held her in the car, while Matt drove the short distance to our apartment.


Are you talking to me?	Sprawled out on the floor

The Newest Family Member
One of her first trips was a visit to the veterinarian. We found a great vet through some friends. Judging by her teeth and paw size, the vet said that she was probably five months old. So, through the power of back-calculation, I assume that her birthday is somewhere around 15-October. The veterinarian did a thorough examination and updated her shots. She was in perfect health and would live a full life. He also guessed that she was part beagle and part collie - sounds good to me.

I thought that city living would be an adjustment for her. It took her about two weeks to become completely house-broken. She did urinate in her kennel a couple of times, but quickly learned that "outside" meant pee-and-poop. Within a couple of months, she was sleeping on the floor near our bed. The kennel was always available, but rarely did she sleep in there. During the day, we would keep her locked in the kennel, as we didn't want her wandering around the apartment.

She loved to go to the park. We would take her to the grassy area near Turtle Creek, where she could run, sniff and investigate. We'd have to watch her, though, as she took to humans very well. In fact, given the choice between a dog and a human, she'd prefer to play with the human.


Taoiseach with her favorite toys.	Matt taking the little girl for her first swim.

Sitting in her house	Caught in the act

Two Moves
Taoiseach and I have been experienced two moves together. The first move took us from Dallas to Boston. The three-day journey in the car was an adventure for her. She spent most of the trip asleep in the back seat, only waking when the car would slow down. She would get upset when I would stop to fill the tank with gas, and would always kiss me when I got back into the car. We stayed in two hotels: Birmingham, Alabama and Fredericksburg, Viriginia. She didn't like the hotel rooms, especially when I would leave to get dinner. She'd be waiting at the door for me when I returned.

She adjusted to Boston quickly. There was a dog park about two blocks from the apartment. I could take her off leash in the fenced area, but she would rarely return to me. The excitement of so many other dogs fascinated her. I usually had to ask someone else to grab her, so that I could attach her lease and walk her to the apartment. She loved the snow and the walks through the Boston Common.

Then I started traveling. In the first three months of 2001, I was gone all but ten days. She didn't even recognize me. That's when I decided to stop traveling and look for a new job. She had a better bond with my roommate than she did with me. So, in August 2001, we packed up the car again and headed to Atlanta, where we live currently.


Helping clean the new apartment	Standing guard at the door. Don't let the mean landlady in the apartment.

A Georgia Peach
We moved into a very nice apartment complex in the heart of Midtown Atlanta. Like Boston, she adjusted well to Atlanta. The complex has plenty of areas for her to run and sniff. We quickly developed a daily walk, which she now knows by heart. There are a couple of other dogs that live in the vicinity, so she has plenty of friends with whom to socialize. It also gave me a chance to meet a number of my neighbors.

This move marked a turning point for Taoiseach. I no longer keep her in the kennel during the day. I assume she spends most of the day on the bed or, worse, on the couch. From my bed, she can look out the window and watch the world pass. It also allows her to see the other dogs walking in the complex.

She sleeps in the bed with me, but rarely for the entire evening. I guess I toss-and-turn way too much.

She's my little girl, and I love her dearly. I don't know what I would do without her.


Enjoying an afternoon in the park	Sleeping in her bed

Favorite Meals: Chicken and rice or hamburger. Really, anything that I'm eating is more appealing to her than her bowl of dog food.

Favorite Games: Playing ball, especially at 22.00 when I'm ready to go to bed.

Favorite Activity: "Go for a ride in the car". I don't say the "c" word unless I have the keys in my hand.

Favorite Daytime Activities: Sleeping on the bed and looking out the window.

Signs of Unconditional Love: There are three of them. First, she doesn't like it when I leave on a trip. She knows that the luggage means. Secondly, she gets very jealous when there is someone else in the apartment. She thinks that overnight guests are competition. And finally, seeing her big brown eyes when I come home from work.

Most Annoying Habit: We don't go on walks; we go on "smells". She insists on smelling everything, even the areas that she smelled in the morning or last night. They smell the same, damnit! It's the curse of the beagle ...

Instantaneous Way to Her Heart: A toy, preferably a stuffed animal or a squeaky toy. I always keep the tags on the toys, as she loves to rip them off with her teeth.