How To Propose With A Puppy

Thought for the Day: Love is frienship caught on fire.

Well, I did it. Not only did I buy the engagement ring, I proposed. Here’s how it went down.

Step 1: Figuring out The Way. I sat down with 4 of my close friends and revealed my intent to propose to the woman I had been dating for (at the time) 4 and a half years. We sat their and brainstormed a couple of different ways. The plan was to propose with a puppy that had the ring tied with a ribbon around it. I knew my girlfriend always wanted a dog but up until now had never been able to have one, this presented the perfect opportunity for me to stack the deck when asking (I knew she’d say yes, I just saw no reason not to go over the top).

Step 2: I had to figure out The Time. When would be the ideal time to propose. I know she is really in to Christmas and her family always has large celebrations around Christmas, so that was one option. I also considered our anniversary which is in November. I finally went with slightly before Christmas because I had a plan and that plan involved her not being rushed and keeping family interference to a minimum.

Step 3: Select the required equipment. After being warned off of pet stores by a friend (Chronicluscious) I began looking at local animal shelters to adopt from. Finally, as the day grew closer I went to a shelter and looked at a few puppies when an older Jack Russell Terrier caught my eye. He’s a sweet little guy and was in need of a good home, and seemed like a better choice than all the puppies (neither of us have the time/patience to deal with a young puppy running around, but I was willing to sacrifice for her).

Getting the ring was a different story, I went out with another friend of mine who’s obsessed with romance and weddings to help me learn more about rings and show me what to look for (check her blog out 10 Thousand Reasons To Love) Finally after learning all about what I needed, I went with my girlfriends best friend to go select the right ring. Ultimately I went on a mad dash two weeks beforehand and found the perfect ring at a local jeweler. I ended up picking up the dog and the ring on the same day, hiding the dog at my mom’s house so my girlfriend wouldn’t catch on (dogs are a little hard to hide when you live in the same house).

Step 4: Actually propose. The plan went down as follows – the girlfriend (soon to be fiance) goes out for a girl’s day with her (aforementioned) best friend. While she’s gone, I quick pick up the dog, a dozen roses, and some sparkling cider. I come back to the house, clean up the place, clean myself up, tie the ring to the dog with a ribbon and then play the waiting game.

The waiting game sucks. No one tells you how nerve wracking the final moments before you pop the question are. I waited, ready to go for like about an hour before getting the phone call from her best friend that the girlfriend is on the way home. The next twenty minutes I sat there, looking out the window everytime a car went by on the street wondering if it was her pulling up. A thousand questions went through my head - what if the dog bites her? what if she comes in and says, ‘”why the hell is there a dog in the house?” what if she’s having a terrible day? what if I’m not wearing the right clothes? what if she runs into the bathroom the second she gets in the door and left I’m sitting here like a chump, twiddling my thumbs while this dog falls asleep? what if the dog pukes on her or something awful? what if what if what if!*

Finally, she comes in the door, looks at me sitting on the couch with an eager little dog and asks, “Who is this?”

I say, “Come meet him, he has something for you”.

She comes running over and starts playing with him, I jump onto the floor with her, grab the little dog and say, “Will you marry me?” She looks like she’s about to cry.

“Yes.”

We kiss. We spend the night buying puppy food/puppy sweater/puppy everything and playing
and running around the neighborhood with the little guy, who even got a brand new name – Simon (I was holding out for Cosmonaut, but it’s all good).

Proposing with a puppy!

I got everything I wanted yesterday – a little muppy to play with, a fiance, and the chance to officially cross another item off my list. Only 100 left to go, and now I’ll have two companions willing to take this journey with me.

Honestly, who couldn’t say yes to this little face!

* Note: The puppy did pee on the floor when she came in the room. He must have been as excited/nervous as I was. She didn’t notice, and I was able to clean it up afterward. In my mind it could have gond a lot worse, however.

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** Thanks to the Black Flag Cafe for awarding me the Most Romantic Flagger Award 2011 for this post.

*** Edit 12/10/12 We just had our one year anniversary being engaged! Wedding planning is going full steam ahead. Save the dates are being sent out soon!

Tags: 101, best blog of the year, lifestyle, Osiris, overly romantic