Who is Beans?

Beans is my dog.

He is not just any dog. He is a wonder dog.
In May 2009 after some dramatic life events, I decided to get a dog. I was browsing on petfinder, and instantly fell in love with these eyes. How could you not?

I quickly gained permission to go see him. I fell in love some more. The county pound told me he was a beagle/lab mix, 6 months old, and 20 lbs. He was found wandering the streets of a very rough neighborhood with many scars on his head and face.

That first day, I took him outside where he sniffed like he had never sniffed before. His tail remained between his legs. I sat down in the grass, and he sat right next to me. That is when I knew I would not be leaving without him.

Due to some rules at the county pound, I wasn't allowed to take him home with me for 5 days! I wondered if he would remember me when I came back. I went to see him several more times during those days. On day 4 of the wait, I got a call from the pound. The warden told me that my dog was very sick with suspected kennel cough and to come get him ASAP. The pick-up was uneventful. As soon as I opened the door, he hopped right in.

I drove him home, constantly checking the rear view mirror to see how he was doing. I took him to the vet where they told me that he probably had kennel cough, but that in reality he was "scared shitless." Their words. After getting some meds, we went home to meet the family. He remembered my mom from a previous visit to the pound, but did not like my brother or dad. We quickly learned that he did not like men or people wearing hats. We can only assume that a man wearing a hat had beaten him.

After the excitement wore off, he slept for about 3 days straight. Good thing, because he still didn't have a name. After 3 days, my brother had had enough and named him "Beans." It stuck.

Now Beans is a happy dog. He has turned into a 65 lbs lab/boxer/pitbull mix (as far as my Google image searching can tell). He still sleeps all day. He likes to sleep under the covers and enjoys sleeping until noon.

He often presents me with a WTF?! face when my alarm goes off at 6am. I give him one right back. His favorite activity is napping,  usually while I study.

The life of a dog is so hard. So is neuroanatomy.

We have come a long way since May 2009. Both of us.