Introducing… Lady Dora Von Derpinson!

So things have been rather quiet here lately, for a variety of reasons. The main reason is that I’ve been working hard the past two months or so on the fall 2012 issue of K-Soul Magazine, which you all should be checking out. We have an interview with U-Kiss (!!!! I don’t need to tell people twice that I’m a rather huge U-Kiss fan so this was a pretty exciting moment as the editor) and concert reviews and lots of stuff about living in Seoul as well. Well worth a read.

There is another reason I’ve been quiet, and that is that I’ve been incredibly busy the past two weeks with a new addition in my apartment.

This is Lady Dora Von Derpison! Or, Dora for short.

I have been wanting a dog for years. I had one since grade 5, and she passed away the year before I left for Korea. I love dogs so much, and during the lonelier times here in Korea, I’ve thought about getting a dog. However, back then, I travelled around a lot, stayed out a lot, and had a lot of friends in the area so I was really busy. However, my friends have been spreading out across Seoul, and my evenings are more my own now. Over the summer, the want for a dog grew and grew. Then, two weeks ago, on an impulse trip to Chungmuro when my parents were visiting, we went past the pet store street and I decided it was time to get one.

I wish I could say I did the noble thing and got a shelter dog, as my family does back home. However, I had three requirements for a dog: female, small breed, and hypoallergenic. In the end, it was easier to get exactly what I was expecting. I did battle with pet store guilt for ages though, and still feel really awful that I wasn’t able to find a dog to match my needs through a shelter. However, Dora has completely and totally changed my life in the two weeks she’s been here.

When I got Dora, she was about 7 weeks old. I say about because we didn’t know her exact birthdate, but knew she was about 50 days old. Painfully young, should have still been with her mother, but, there’s nothing you can do at that point. So we decided August 31st would be her birthdate and we’ve taken it from there. She was very quiet, and I took to her the second I saw her. I’ve looked at so many dogs when here in Korea, but only two have caught my heart as quickly as she did. It’s almost funny how I went from completely lazy person who loathes getting up to someone who does everything to make sure Dora is alright. She ate puppy formula supplement for a week with her food until I was sure she was okay to go with just the food, and she started on shots and heartworm treatments the second I was sure she was old enough to handle it. In two weeks, Dora has become an energetic, healthy puppy. I spend every day stressed out over things like “Oh my god, am I messing up on housebreaking her? Is she getting enough exercise? Why isn’t she going to the bathroom as much as the websites say she should? I’m the worst dog owner ever! ;0;” However, according to others, we seem to be doing quite well.

Of course, if you are looking to get a pet in Korea, I recommend checking out Animal Rescue Korea to see if you could help a pet in need in Korea! There are loads of animals needing you love, either with adopting or fostering.