dogs, dogs against a white background, dogs standing together

A Dog's Home: Rumi the "Champion Cuddler"

Welcome to “A Dog’s Home,” our series that highlights our four-legged residents who were adopted and go to our doggy day care service, Dog City NYC. This week, we spoke to Rhett, a resident who adopted his nearly two-year old Boxer-American Village dog Rumi in November of 2017 from Animal Haven.

Tell me about Rumi. How would you describe her personality?

Rumi has the body of a ballet dancer, the face of a matinee idol, and the personality of Larry David.  She loves humans and dogs alike, but she still has that baked-in street dog neurosis. She won't come near me if I'm holding an umbrella or a box, and she's terrified of walking on the sidewalk (unless she's walking with a couple of large dog friends, in which case she'll strut for half a mile because she loves to be part of a pack). But she's a champion cuddler and a little drop of love incarnate.

How long ago did you get Rumi? Was it a process to get her accustomed to your home and routine or was it easy?

Dog, dog sitting on bed, dog sitting up in bed

Rumi posing for the camera

I got Rumi when she was 10 weeks old in November 2017. I popped into Animal Haven on a Saturday on a whim because a friend wanted to look.  I loved her at first sight and put in an application. They assured me that I wouldn't get her because there were so many applications already in for her from nice families, but I got the call the next day because I wrote that I work from home and also that I would send her to Dog City.  I had like 48 hours to decide, and I freaked out for three days straight after I brought her home, thinking I'd never be able to leave my apartment again. She was a little puppy, so she adjusted quickly (as did I), and she's a super fast learner, so that helped, too.

Why did you choose to adopt rather than go to a breeder for a dog?

There are so many dogs that need homes; I always planned to adopt one day. I didn't think I'd get such a young puppy (they're a lot of work!), but like I said, it was love at first sight.

What advice would you give someone considering adopting a dog?

Consult your astrologer, clear your travel calendar for a bit, and go for it!  Just kidding about the astrologer part; everyone needs some dog love.

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