Thanks so much for your Pork Chop thoughts, everyone.

I wrote to the foster without mentioning the fee and she said that I can definitely take him for a trial period over the weekend. And, that there are two other families looking at him, but she won't contact them until after I've had my turn. That is a huge relief.

I guess I was concerned about the trial period because I'm transporting him over several state lines. This foster does not generally allow out-of-state placements, so they are doing this because it's me and I don't want to take advantage of that latitude.

At any rate, one of my besties is coming with me (hopefully) which will make the trip even more fun and less stressful.

I think my biggest concern was that I wasn't going to be able to properly separate, to judge her on her own merits.

Brenda, I've already resigned myself to this happening...a lot. I think I could wait ten years and still have the comparison issue. Fortunately, I'm aware of it, so perhaps I can be fair in the overall scheme of things even if I am not in individual moments.

You also bring up something that hadn't occurred to me. Another friend asked if it won't be too painful for people to think the new guy is Bartleby. She thinks they look so much alike that it will be a problem.

I know the conformation is similar, but I can't see Bartleby in him at all. Different contrast color, more balanced conformation (PC's legs are equal in length, Bartleby's back legs were longer, so he always ran in a diagonal since his back legs overtook the front) and the eyes are completely different. Bartleby's ears stuck straight out, etc.

Still, I think she has a point and I'll have to come up with a little elevator speech to deal with that eventuality.

Yay, trial period!

Pork Chop doesn't look anything like Bartleby, except for similar coloring.

My previous dogs were large and mellow and loved everyone. Mr Peabody is small and hyper and only loves me. My feelings about them are entirely different.

Oh yay, trial period!

Vlad is turning eerily into Tzepesh. A lot of similar mannerisms, the same need to be by Pete if at all possible.

No email from the HR person. Aaaaaugh. I think I will send him a upbeat and polite inquiry after we get done feeding the cats.

My loving feelings for the many pets I have had are all different, just as my feelings for my kids are different. I can love Zoe and it will be different than the love for Brandy, and Georgia, and Ladyjane, and Bianca, and Schwartz, and Martha, and Ralph, and Mr. Stephens, and that is just the pets in my adult life. Well, there was actually 2 Marthas because I wasn't successful at calling the dog after her anything else. Zoe just doesn't seem to notice that I call her Brandy half the time.

Just like with people the relationships vary, but it doesn't make one necessarily better or worse than another.

Too. Much. At. Once!!!

Brain. Overload!!

I feel a "Bambi in headlights" coming on, when there is so much to do at once, you don't know what to work on right now, and you just freeze in place. Everything is overlapping at once. AGGGGG!!!

t /pressure valve

prep for load in of thesis show, jazz orchestra, drive to San Diego to pick up rental, set up wx mic for dance presentation, loan of piano mic for music event, load in thesis show, TEDx event (which is cool, but not when it overlaps with my load in and steals 2 of my labor), plus supporting undergrad's first design of a musical...plus responding to 40-80 e-mails per day, meetings and usual stuff.

Curses.

Pork Chop has not been cleared for his alter op because he is 'holding on to the kennel cough.'

At least a week more.

I'm so bummed, and a bit worried. Please don't let this be that he has a depressed immune system. I could not bear that.

The foster says, oh, I have a pit/lab puppy, do you want him? This makes me wonder if there is something worse wrong with the little guy.

And, uh. Nope. It is either Pork Chop or nobody for me at this point.

I say again, curses.

bonny, I'm not familiar with dogs, but cats can -- and do -- live perfectly normal lives with depressed immune systems (FIV). Our shelter is one of the (unfortunately, far too) few shelters that cares for and adopts out FIV+ cats. We have to be careful -- if something's going around, they're more likely to catch it -- but with normal care and a lack of reluctance to visit the vet, they live perfectly healthy lives. In fact, you couldn't tell them from our non-FIV cats, except that the FIV and non-FIV are kept in separate areas.

And no, FIV can't be passed from cats to any other species. Only between cats. In fact, Hubs got bit badly by an FIV+ (short version -- he was trying to break up a fight the wrong way), and he was never at any risk.

Coping~ma, omnis. That sounds like quite a lot.

Sorry, bonny. Hoping he kicks the cough and you get him next weekend.

Kennel cough can be pretty persistent in well dogs.

IME, shelters and foster places almost always suggest pits and pit mixes to possible adopters, just because there are so many of them waiting for homes.