Dear BREW,

I have to admit that I've been a bit of a puppy-stalker for the past year. Weekly (usually more often than that) I would go to petfinder.com and all of the individual rescue organizations websites from DC to gawk at the dogs. I especially stalked the BREW beagles. Unfortunately my boyfriend and I shared a studio apartment that didn’t allow pets. So I spent a lot of time puppy stalking, crying, donating money, and being that weird girl that has to pet everyone’s dog as it walks down the street. Realizing that this was no way to live we set about finding a place that would let us have pets.

Step one accomplished we started to seriously look for our sweet bundle of love. Shortly after I saw the "Bagel" litter online, and immediately sent in an application, considerately telling my boyfriend afterwards.....A homecheck was scheduled and we cleaned like nervous parents afraid we wouldn’t make the cut. Everything under two feet off the ground was picked up and put on top of bookcases and in overflowing closets. Not doing much for the feng shui, but it got us approved and the style is growing on me, for instance, I always know that my shoes will be on top of my armoire. And then we met Bear (nee Garlic)!!!!!! Instant and complete puppy love. He and his brother were the two remaining of the litter, and we had such a hard time choosing between the two. As we were deciding we looked to their foster mom for guidance; she helpfully suggested we take both. In the end we picked Bear, and after signing all the paperwork, we picked up the wrong dog and almost left (clearly this is foreshadowing of things to come).

After more than a year of puppy lust it was so gratifying to have this sweet little man come home with us. He looks like he belongs on TV hocking toilet paper and puppy chow, and he has the charm and charisma to back up his good looks. But something kept luring us back to the BREW website, we wanted to make sure his brother had gone to a good home as well. Weeks went by and still nothing, Donna's suggestion that we bring both home started to make more and more sense. I couldn’t imagine Bear growing up in foster care and facing the possibility of never finding a forever home, and I certainly wouldn’t wish it on his brother. Everything I've read and heard recommends not raising two puppies at the same time. Ignoring sound advice, and wanting Bear to have a friend to play with, we drove back up and picked up Wilbur (nee Onion). They are now reunited and it does feel so good!

Its striking how different they look and behave. Wilbur is the short pudgy banker, keeping careful track of how many treats he has gotten and how many kisses he's gotten from mommy. Bear is the lanky door to door salesman, going up to every single stranger and selling them his beagle charm. Sometimes the puppy power times two gets a little overwhelming, but they are slowly growing out of it, and seeing how happy they are together is more gratifying than anything I have ever experienced.

I am so glad we ignored friends advice to go to a breeder, and everyone’s advice to not get two puppies, and I’m so glad the people at BREW are as kind and wonderful as they are. Every little beagle deserves a good home and it does a lot for a former puppy-stalkers peace of mind that they have BREW until that forever home comes along. Thanks to everyone that helped us get our piggles!!!!

Love,
Caitlin, Michael, Bear, & Wilbur

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