And then there were four?

I am a dog lover. My introduction to dogs began early. As a child my grandfather kept dogs. One of my fondest childhood memories is riding on the back of Zorba the greyhound. But my mother refused to get a dog because she figured the upkeep would fall into her hands. She was probably right. She sang a different tune when my cousin brought home a Chow Chow puppy from the North Shore Animal League. My mother agreed to keep the dog for the weekend. Immediately smitten, she named her Ling Ling and our household was complete. Ling Ling was a companion and protector for us until she died when I was 28. For 12 years she was a beloved member of our family.

I would like for Mekhi to experience the love of a dog but there are some things to consider. My husband is allergic to dogs. Couple that with a "I will tolerate them if we visit but please not in my home" attitude - it is unlikely that we will have a four legged friend here anytime soon.

Instead of a dog we may go with a fish. When I was single I kept a betta fish named Ali (bettas are fighting fish). She was treated like a queen. Unlike many betta owners I kept her in a tank -many people keep them in a vase or a cup - I wanted her to swim free! She would greet me when I arrived home from work and I would talk to her like a friend. This might seem strange to some but I enjoyed our relationship. On the day she died she waited for me to get home before she took her last dive and slowly floated to the top of the water.

Fish are low maintenance and may be a good option for Mekhi. We will see. In the meanwhile I will keep the tv on animal planet and Mekhi's love of animals will be satiated by watching his favorite shows. Perhaps one day we will add a fourth member to our family and if we do I will be sure to let you know.

This post was written for Parent Bloggers Network as part of a sweepstakes sponsored by Burger King Corp. They have a new line of iDogs available through Nov 2. Perhaps an idog will be the fourth member of our family.