Puppy, anyone

If there is one thing that Taryn's friends know about her, its that she NEVER wants kids. ''Kids are cute, so long as they are someone else's,'' is her motto.
Dogs on the other hand, is another story. Never have I seen a motherly instinct so intense, as I've seen in Taryn over the past few days . . .
On Tuesday night, Taryn found a stray puppy, starving, shivering, and helpless, in the street (apparently it was laying next to the other 650,000 starving, shivering, puppies in Guatemala). But it was love at first sight! By the next day, the puppy had a name (chocobanano), its only personal shampoo, blanket, food dish and specially designed puppy food. The only dog in Guatemala that sleeps inside is currently nestled in a designer skirt in a cornflakes box in Taryn's room.



But, I have to admit, Chocobanano is darned cute, and it has grown on us both as we cared for it over the past couple days. Taryn has even investigated the possibility of bringing the pup back to the states. But after a couple sleepless nights, the decision was made to leave Choco with a neighbor (pictured above) who has been dying for a dog . . .
Taryn and I worry though, as dogs are certainly not 'man's best friend' in Guatemala. In fact, kicking dogs is a favorite pastime of the children here . . .
But our teacher at the Spanish school, Erwyn, is an animal lover (rare as snow in Guatemala) and has agreed to look after Chocobanano!