Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for you to meet Krypto. And here he is… Adorable, right?

To properly tell this story, I need to go back a few years. Then I need to fast-forward to last September. Then I need to jump ahead to roughly three weeks ago. Are you with me so far?

Remember 2020? Sure, we all do. It was a dumpster fire of a year. I won’t remind you of any of the reasons why. I’m sure we all have our reasons. But I ask you to travel back to that year with me.

COVID-19 was running rampant all across the country and around the world. Oh… I wasn’t going to remind you of any of the reasons why 2020 was a dumpster fire year. Oops… Anyway, COVID was the hot topic and we were all stuck at home for… well, for however long we were all stuck at home. For some it was a few weeks… others it was a few months. Heck, for some it may still be going on. I’m not going to judge the hermits who embraced the pandemic. Pretty sure I would’ve if I could’ve…

But for some time I was at home just like most folks who weren’t considered “essential” employees out in the world. I was thankful that my job was one that allowed me to work from home for about three months and that I didn’t have to scrape by and try to figure out how I was going to make ends meet. I know it wasn’t so easy for a lot of folks.

During those days when I found myself home alone for days or weeks on end, I started thinking about adopting a pet. I’ve always been a dog person, but at the time, I was really thinking about getting a cat. I figured that apartment life would be better for a cat. And if I were to eventually go back to working in the real world like I was certain would happen at some point, I would feel guilty leaving a dog sitting alone in my apartment. Whereas a cat is super independent. In fact, a cat would probably be thrilled to have my home to itself for 6-8 hours each day.

But I never did it. I just couldn’t talk myself into pulling that proverbial trigger. Not sure if it was the extra rent I’d have to pay or dealing with a litter box… I just didn’t do it.

And that back and forth mentality kept going in the ensuing years.

Now let’s jump to September of 2022. This is when I started my new job. During my interview I discovered that the office was a very pet friendly environment. Several employees brought their dogs to work with them every day. A couple of the dogs that are there pretty much every day, I’m certain, are under the impression that they run that office. I think the dogs I’m referring to (I won’t mention names) would be considered “mean girls” if they were people… and if they were both female.

Anyway, once I began that job, it became clear to these dog owners that I was very much a dog friendly human. And those dogs absolutely loved me. So the campaign to convince me to get my own furry friend was on. And since I was in a pet-friendly work environment, I could take comfort in knowing I could bring a dog to work with me, making a dog a better option than a cat for the first time. None of that guilt for leaving a pet at home all day.

I won’t say that my coworkers influenced me. I won’t say that they encouraged me. I will say they practically bullied me into adopting a pet. It was peer pressure.

But I was on fence. I’d been on the fence since the start of the pandemic. And it really didn’t take much to push me over the edge.

For several months, I endured a constant barrage of text messages and emails containing links to local animal shelters and the newest dogs they had to offer. I may not have received a new image of a cute puppy every single day… but it was close. We’re talking at least two or three times each week.

Nearly three weeks ago I gave in. I was sent a picture of the dog that would be known as Krypto. He was going by Popcorn at the time and he was a resident of the local SPCA. I mean… look at that face. How do you not take him home with you right away?

And I kind of had to take him right away. The SPCA employee who hosted our meet and greet with Popcorn said that if I didn’t adopt him that day, someone would. Because he wasn’t just a cute dog. He was smart. He was friendly. He was about as perfect as dogs get. So he came home with me that day.

Kids… I was not ready to have a dog. My apartment was not puppy proof. I didn’t have any of the things that dogs need… food, toys, a leash… The SPCA was able to provide me with the same kind of food they’d been feeding him there. And they had a free leash that had recently been donated. I was on my own for the rest.

Except that I wasn’t on my own. Those coworkers who have been bullying me for months? They have been incredibly generous in sharing not only advice but toys, treats, poop-collecting bags… I’ve got it made.

I decided to lose the name Popcorn. I was told that he was given that name by a bunch of little kids at a birthday party. What kind of name is Popcorn for a dog? Come on, children! Get your lives together!

As you may be aware, if you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you’re likely aware that I’ve always been a huge fan of Superman. Superman’s Kryptonian dog was named Krypto. So… I figured… Why not name my own dog Krypto?

Three weeks in and Krypto really is the best kind of dog I could have hoped for. I mean, all this time I’ve been saying I wanted a puppy. But Krypto is six-years-old and there is a lot to be said for getting a dog that has aged out of that puppy phase. He’s still young enough to be playful, but he’s not getting into every little thing. I’d been worried about my apartment being unprepared to be home for a dog, but that’s not something I really needed to worry about.

Krypto is impressively intelligent. With some work, I’m certain there’s nothing he can’t learn. In fact, there are a lot of things he already knows that I never had to teach him. He pulls on the leash, but he’s getting better about staying close to me. Within a few days he knew how to get from my apartment to the elevator and from the elevator to the exit and back again.

The same goes for the office. He’s there with me every day. And he lets me know whenever he needs to go out. He knows where we go and knows which door leads to our office building.

We’re still dealing with some separation anxiety. If I’m not in the same room with him, he follows me. If he can’t follow me, he whines… and barks… and howls. And he has a loud voice. His bark is much larger than his body. And we’re still not 100% sure about strange people and strange dogs. With some he is great with gentle introductions. With some people who walk by the office door, he’s barking his head off. With some dogs he is nearly out of control. Which is definitely something we have to work on…

I’ve been looking into training classes and I think I’ve found a good place locally that will be great for both of us. But a lack of current funds will cause me to put that off for a bit. Hopefully that’s something we can begin later in the summer.

I wish I knew Krypto’s back story. No, he didn’t come from the doomed planet Krypton to be Kal-El’s pet with super powers. But at the age of six, and with as much as he knows, he clearly had a home for most of his life. Through trial and error we have discovered that he must have lived somewhere with a fenced in back yard, because he was very comfortable going out on his own at a friend’s home. And that would explain why it’s been taking time for him to get used to the leash.

But between his original home life and the day I got him from the SPCA are the days that I want to know more about. Was he on his own somewhere? Was he abandoned? Is that why he deals with so much anxiety when I’m out of his sight? Was he attacked by strange dogs at some point? Is that why he freaks out around some dogs but not others?

All I know for sure is that he was a resident of the pound for an unspecified length of time before there was an open spot for him at the SPCA. And he wasn’t even at the SPCA for 24 hours before I got him. Whatever the case may be… he’s not talking.

So we’re clear, I will not become one of those people who refers to his dog as a “fur baby.” This is not my child. This is my pet. I will go so far as to embrace the term “man’s best friend.” Therefore I will consider Krypto a friend. I will also not be dressing Krypto in sweaters. But if I can find a decent Superman cape that comes in his size, he’s definitely getting one.

It’s funny… for as long as I waivered on the idea of getting a pet, I look at this dog now and can’t imagine life without him. I really got lucky with this one. He’s just the bestest good boy.