Personal Post: Meet Finn

I did a thing... Since January, I've been living on my own in a cute one-bedroom apartment. Don't get me wrong, having my own space is awesome. However coming home to an empty apartment... every... single... night gets really old, really fast. I knew once I moved out of my parents' house, I wanted a dog, but I wanted to wait until I found the right one and was financially ready.

For months, I have checked the Franklin County Dog Shelter website religiously. I had been in several times to look at dogs I thought I would leave with. That wasn't the case, for one reason or another. Just a few weeks ago, I saw a beautiful mixed breed female and within a day was headed to the shelter. Much to my dismay, as soon as I walked up to her kennel, she growled at me... She wasn't going to be "the one."

Since I was already there, I figured I would just walk around and see what was there, even though I had already scanned their website for potential dogs the night before. I walked up and down aisles full of kennels containing barking dogs, all hoping to leave with someone. If you've never been in a shelter, it is a tough reality to experience. I passed a young, black dog's kennel and he was the only one not barking. He just kind of tilted his head at me and wagged his tail. I thought "okay, he might work," even though I was pretty set on getting a female.

Just a few kennels down from him was another dog - a female - who was also sitting quietly in her kennel. So I told the worker that I had two dogs I wanted to visit with. She asked "who first?" And I told her Grim. Yes. They named a poor dog "Grim" at the shelter. Like being there wasn't already depressing enough. So that young, black dog came wagging his little butt through the door. I could tell immediately he was underweight as the lady told me he was picked up as a stray. I liked him, and I was pretty convinced I was leaving with a dog that day. I still asked to see the other dog though. She charged through the door, knocking everyone down in her way, and I thought "no way!"

Once more, I asked to see Grim - but this time, take him outside. He was much more relaxed, but you could tell he hadn't had much people interaction, because he didn't know how to interact with us. Or toys, for that matter! He was the one. I had to leave for an appointment (great timing, right?), so I asked how long they could "hold" dogs for. She told me two hours. I said I would be back.

I took the two hours to make sure it was the right decision, and I couldn't get his little face out of my head. So back to the shelter I went, and I brought home this perfect little guy. For about two days, I debated on several names for him. From Tucker to Augie to Chance, I considered creative to cliché. I settled on "Finn," like "inFINite" ("inphinite"). See what I did there?

Anyways, it's been two weeks now and he's everything I could want. He is adjusting to the apartment life well. He's 10 months old, loves to chew on his stuffed koala, is almost potty trained, often falls down stairs because he gets too excited, and pounces like a cat when you call him.

I love him.