Out of all the northeast traditions I’ve embraced, however, nothing is more surprising to those who know me than the most recent addition to my home, a new puppy.

Just last weekend I officially became a “dog person” by bringing home a 10-month-old Chesapeake Bay Retriever from a Rescue shelter in Maine. It was only two weeks ago that I began looking for a dog to call my own, and after seeing the adorable faces of the Chessies playing in the snow, it wasn’t long before I was loading one into my car for the long trek home.

Driving along the Maine coast with a new furry friend in the back seat, I couldn’t help but think about how I had reached the ultimate point of dog ownership.  My transformation from complete pet-opposer, to dog neophyte, to dog lover, is one that slowly progressed over the last five years, and was now complete.

The benefits of owning a dog are certainly plentiful, and stem mostly from the unconditional love they provide. Returning home to a warm smile and wagging tail goes a long way towards relieving stress from a long days work.

Their health effects on owners are also significant, including helping to reduce blood pressure, fight depression, and prevent heart disease. 

Although able to enjoy these benefits now, I was previously unaware of them growing up in a home void of pets, where dogs were viewed as dirty and unnecessary. It wasn’t that my parents looked down upon dogs, they simply knew the realities and limitations of their lifestyle where pets were not made a priority.

It was more important to keep the house impeccably clean and work to pay the mortgage, than to worry about dog walking and veterinarian bills.

Admittedly, this ideology was one I maintained throughout the first 20 years of my life. Just ask my graduate school roommate, who received the backlash of complaints I dished out when she brought a puppy home to our small apartment.

But just like many things in life, times change and we often do things once thought to be crazy or impossible. For me, that includes finishing a marathon earlier this year and now bringing home my very own dog.

If only my parents and former roommate could see me now, enjoying a 15-mile weekend run and picking up after a dog on snowy, frigid evenings.

Despite resisting with all my might, I have now joined the ranks of pet lovers and succumbed to the outdoor pet-friendly lifestyle embraced by many living in Saratoga.

My transformation to “dog person” and Upstate New York resident is all but complete.

To my friends and family living in balmy Maryland and southern Pennsylvania, I look forward to bringing home a new puppy with me this holiday season.

I will of course happily return to the snow and cold of New York in 2008 to continue to adopt more Saratoga customs and traditions - however I vow to never transform into a Yankee fan!