The New Baby
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
... aw, come on... I kinda had you going there for a sec
... aw, come on... I kinda had you going there for a sec
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
I've wanted a puppy for so long. Seriously. It wasn't something I jumped into on a whim. I tried to adopt a puppy from a rescue in March of 2005, but the foster lady was nuts. Our application was denied because we had a portion of fence missing from our yard - which was due to be fixed. Then in 2006 I decided to start fostering for a different animal rescue (which I continue to volunteer for). I fostered a 14 year old lab/shep named Bear (believe it or not, he was adopted out to a lady with a farm), and then there was Maya - a lab/heeler/shep cross (but she tried to eat my friend's chihuahua & was not good around smaller dogs/cats - sadly, she's STILL up for adoption because of her issues). After Maya left, we decided not to foster for awhile, as it was hard for me, becoming attached to a dog only to have it go to another home.... I mean, it was very rewarding when Bear got adopted, but I was hella sad. Not a month after that decision, I was asked to take in a potentially pregnant kitteh from a house of 58 cats (they placed the pregnant ones in foster care, and kept the other kittens/adults at the farm) - and that's our Nermal; she was not pregnant (thankfully) and she stole our hearts completely. Later that same year, we got a call about a momma cat, her 4 babies and another cat - all from the same house that needed foster care immediately. We kept the last kitten to find a home because she had some pretty severe health problems. Last fall, our rescue got a litter of 9 or so 3 day old orphaned lab puppies, and I had offered to take one of those, but they were all sent to homes before I arrived to pick one up (I was sad - I would have raised it and kept it for my own).
Sooooooo it's been 8 months thereabouts, and I got puppy fever
The rescue doesn't currently have any babies ready for adoption (and the ones they do have were on the news... a garbage bag full of puppies had been found, so I'm sure people have already "reserved" them). I found an ad for free farm puppies, just a little ad... barely noticeable. I called and explained that I was headed out on a month-long trip, but was interested in one of their pups. Since I'm just headed to my mom's place, and I'm splitting the trip into two days... we're going to give it a go. If the puppy shows any signs of stress or fatigue I'll give the trip a third day. I've travelled with my dog for 9 years now, I think it'll be okay. I've got water bottles to fill the dish, a crate in case the pup needs some quiet time, a blanket that I cuddled with to give to her for comfort.
I've wanted a puppy for so long. Seriously. It wasn't something I jumped into on a whim. I tried to adopt a puppy from a rescue in March of 2005, but the foster lady was nuts. Our application was denied because we had a portion of fence missing from our yard - which was due to be fixed. Then in 2006 I decided to start fostering for a different animal rescue (which I continue to volunteer for). I fostered a 14 year old lab/shep named Bear (believe it or not, he was adopted out to a lady with a farm), and then there was Maya - a lab/heeler/shep cross (but she tried to eat my friend's chihuahua & was not good around smaller dogs/cats - sadly, she's STILL up for adoption because of her issues). After Maya left, we decided not to foster for awhile, as it was hard for me, becoming attached to a dog only to have it go to another home.... I mean, it was very rewarding when Bear got adopted, but I was hella sad. Not a month after that decision, I was asked to take in a potentially pregnant kitteh from a house of 58 cats (they placed the pregnant ones in foster care, and kept the other kittens/adults at the farm) - and that's our Nermal; she was not pregnant (thankfully) and she stole our hearts completely. Later that same year, we got a call about a momma cat, her 4 babies and another cat - all from the same house that needed foster care immediately. We kept the last kitten to find a home because she had some pretty severe health problems. Last fall, our rescue got a litter of 9 or so 3 day old orphaned lab puppies, and I had offered to take one of those, but they were all sent to homes before I arrived to pick one up (I was sad - I would have raised it and kept it for my own).
Sooooooo it's been 8 months thereabouts, and I got puppy fever
The rescue doesn't currently have any babies ready for adoption (and the ones they do have were on the news... a garbage bag full of puppies had been found, so I'm sure people have already "reserved" them). I found an ad for free farm puppies, just a little ad... barely noticeable. I called and explained that I was headed out on a month-long trip, but was interested in one of their pups. Since I'm just headed to my mom's place, and I'm splitting the trip into two days... we're going to give it a go. If the puppy shows any signs of stress or fatigue I'll give the trip a third day. I've travelled with my dog for 9 years now, I think it'll be okay. I've got water bottles to fill the dish, a crate in case the pup needs some quiet time, a blanket that I cuddled with to give to her for comfort.
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
I travelled out to the farm yesterday to pick my puppy. I was the first/only person to respond, so I was able to have my pick of the whole litter. On google maps, the trip was approx. 3 1/2 hours, but with one stop and then an accidental detour (I'm rather famous for those ) it was closer to four hours. It took ages to pick just the right one - they were all amazingly adorable. I met the family that had the puppies - very nice people, who had worked with the pups a lot (the puppies all knew to sit before they would receive attention 
I was then introduced to "Peppy" - the mother of the pups; she is a black lab cross and the silkiest dog I've ever pet. She was soooooooo friendly! All kisses and tail wags. The father belonged to the people on the next farm over, a white german shepard, but I didn't meet him. We then went to the barn, and the puppies started making noise as soon as they heard voices. When the barn door was opened... it was just an avalanche of adorable (you know how sweetloretta says her head explodes with kittens when she's happy? just like that). There were 8 pups all together. Here are some pics 
... a little girl that we *almost* took, she just wasn't very interested in us
... a very playful little boy
... another little girl, she had the neatest wavy-haired ears
... "Oddie" the only pup that looked remotely like a german shepard (I could tell that the daughter of the family was smitten with him, so I didn't consider him)
... it was hard to get all the pups individually for pics, so here's me with a few
... my fave boy puppeh - looks and acts JUST like my 9 year old lab Ranger. Yah, I couldn't do that again
... the "twin" brother to the puppy I chose
I travelled out to the farm yesterday to pick my puppy. I was the first/only person to respond, so I was able to have my pick of the whole litter. On google maps, the trip was approx. 3 1/2 hours, but with one stop and then an accidental detour (I'm rather famous for those
) it was closer to four hours. It took ages to pick just the right one - they were all amazingly adorable. I met the family that had the puppies - very nice people, who had worked with the pups a lot (the puppies all knew to sit before they would receive attention I was then introduced to "Peppy" - the mother of the pups; she is a black lab cross and the silkiest dog I've ever pet. She was soooooooo friendly! All kisses and tail wags. The father belonged to the people on the next farm over, a white german shepard, but I didn't meet him. We then went to the barn, and the puppies started making noise as soon as they heard voices. When the barn door was opened... it was just an avalanche of adorable (you know how sweetloretta says her head explodes with kittens when she's happy? just like that). There were 8 pups all together. Here are some pics ... a little girl that we *almost* took, she just wasn't very interested in us
... a very playful little boy
... another little girl, she had the neatest wavy-haired ears
... "Oddie" the only pup that looked remotely like a german shepard (I could tell that the daughter of the family was smitten with him, so I didn't consider him)
... it was hard to get all the pups individually for pics, so here's me with a few
... my fave boy puppeh - looks and acts JUST like my 9 year old lab Ranger. Yah, I couldn't do that again
... the "twin" brother to the puppy I chose
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
... saying goodbye to mama
Our baby is so smart! She walked just fine on a leash (she'd follow me along without it, but when we stopped for pee breaks on the way home I had the leash & collar on her, just to be safe). She sits before pats. She has only had one accident in the house, which is pretty amazing, since she's used to just going wherever in her barn. I was going to crate train her right away, but I totally forgot that I leant out my puppeh-sized crate to a girlfriend. For last night, she and Ranger snuggled on my bed. She slept through the night (or would have, had I not woken her at 3am for a trip out to the yard.
No name yet, but we're tossing a couple around.
Trocar suggested "Soot" lol, which is what he suggests for pretty much anything I like "Marley" but I think it might be over-done lately, what with I am Legend and the new Marley & Me film coming out. Other names I thought of: LuLu (doesn't suit her), Dandy (she loves to bite dandylions that have gone to seed), Blue (like the clues ), Button (as in cute as a), and George/Georgie (that's the one I like best). I kind of want to see if her personality reveals much before naming her officially though. Right now it's "C'mere Girl" or "Puppeh"
... saying goodbye to mama
Our baby is so smart! She walked just fine on a leash (she'd follow me along without it, but when we stopped for pee breaks on the way home I had the leash & collar on her, just to be safe). She sits before pats. She has only had one accident in the house, which is pretty amazing, since she's used to just going wherever in her barn. I was going to crate train her right away, but I totally forgot that I leant out my puppeh-sized crate to a girlfriend. For last night, she and Ranger snuggled on my bed. She slept through the night (or would have, had I not woken her at 3am for a trip out to the yard.
No name yet, but we're tossing a couple around.
Trocar suggested "Soot" lol, which is what he suggests for pretty much anything
I like "Marley" but I think it might be over-done lately, what with I am Legend and the new Marley & Me film coming out. Other names I thought of: LuLu (doesn't suit her), Dandy (she loves to bite dandylions that have gone to seed), Blue (like the clues ), Button (as in cute as a), and George/Georgie (that's the one I like best). I kind of want to see if her personality reveals much before naming her officially though. Right now it's "C'mere Girl" or "Puppeh"
SPOILERS! (Click to view)
At home, our puppeh was introduced to our dog Ranger - it went fantastic... til she tried to nurse from him LMAO. He didn't bite her, but he certainly jumped and looked rather shocked. trocar is pretty smitten with her too
... giving kisses to her new big brother Ranger
... giving trocar a thourough face wash
... all tuckered out
At home, our puppeh was introduced to our dog Ranger - it went fantastic... til she tried to nurse from him LMAO. He didn't bite her, but he certainly jumped and looked rather shocked. trocar is pretty smitten with her too
... giving kisses to her new big brother Ranger
... giving trocar a thourough face wash
... all tuckered out
... and finally, this is what totally made my day today!
VIEW 19 of 19 COMMENTS
She's a cutie though! I will also hug her and squeeze her and call her George!
Man, I really want a puppy.