This is Bo.

I can't even believe it myself. There is a dog in my backyard. I feed him. My kids play with him. I actually think he's cute. Yes, we have a dog. Sort of. Here's the story.

My brother, Carl, got a dog for his girlfriend Dana. Carl and Dana both live in Provo, in student housing where pets aren't allowed. There's a housing shortage in Provo this year, so moving isn't really an option. Bo is now nine months old, and has been living with Dana's family in Idaho. It's pretty cold in Idaho, so they decided that Carl would bring the puppy here until he graduates in the spring. Then, he will be able to move into a place where Bo can live with him. So... Bo lives with us.

I'm not a big fan of animals, especially indoor animals. We had a few pets here and there growing up, but it never lasted very long. Maybe we just weren't good with them. Or maybe a family down the street buys better pet food. Even Carl's hamster didn't make it. Remember Mountain Climber, Carl? Oh, and there was the cat that had feline leukemia and a personal vendetta against my mom. Odie, oddly enough, was poisoned by some weirdo in the neighborhood.

It's no secret that I don't like my mother-in-law's dogs. She has a schnauzer that hates me. And Darlene, Doug's sister, has a Jack Russell. He's just too hyper. And they are indoor dogs. So they beg anytime anyone has any kind of food anywhere nearby. This is especially challenging for the kiddos since they are closer to the dogs' levels. Anyway -- back to my story.

So, Carl came down last week with Bo. He's a puggle, which is a cross between a beagle and a pug. He is a cutie. He's really good with the kids -- super playful. And he lives outside. No dog hair in my house. He's doing better at not pulling my arm off when we go for walks. Carl has offered to buy us a puppy to help with the transition when he comes to take Bo away. I'm not ready to commit to dog ownership forever, so I'm not sure if we will take him up on his offer. We'll see how it goes.

Doug's good with animals, but I'm a newbie. And we all know who takes care of the animals, and the kids, and the house -- the mom! Wish us luck!