Recently in Family Category
When Zoe was lost it was a very long time before Colby was ready for another pet. I have to admit it was the same for me. Zoe was one of those pups that came into our world and left a huge mark on our lives in a very short period of time. She set the standard for the idea of a house companion. Her loss was a huge gaping hole in our lives for a very long time.
It was near the time that I met Steve that Colby began to ask for another dog. Another miniature poodle to be exact. She didn't just want a dog or a pet. When it was obvious that we would most likely be moving to Virginia and starting a new life with Steve I had asked her to wait until that time and then we would get a another puppy.
After we moved and were settled Steve always threw up red flags as to why we couldn't have another puppy. His dog would not understand. His dog would feel threatened. His dog was too nervous and wouldn't be able to cope with another pet in the house. Blah blah blah. So Colby and Grace were told there would be no puppy. No dog. No cat.
When we moved to this house I really wanted another dog. The exact same excuses where thrown up at every turn. After Steven was born I talked about having a puppy for Steven to grow up with because every boy needs a dog to share his boyhood with. Steve was against the idea completely. It caused a lot of frustration and more than a few tears of my own. I was beginning to feel like I was a child being told I couldn't have a puppy. It was/is a feeling I do not like and had a lot of trouble tolerating. I even considered getting a dog and letting the chips fall were they may.
When Steve's dog passed on things changed. There was no reason nor excuse of her presence that could be used to veto another dog. When Steve and I talked and decided to get another dog that sort of set in motion something in me that could not be stopped. If he could choose a dog and bring it here to live so could I. If we could start all over with new pets there was no reason whatsoever to continue to deny Colby and Grace a puppy that had now become a fuzzy dream.
Monday morning I placed a call in answer to an ad in the Charlottesville newspaper looking for a new home for puppies. The gentleman was very nice. He described his litter as friendly pups, dark apricot in color and only one female of five puppies in the litter. I made arrangements to go visit and see the puppies that afternoon.
When Gracie came in from school I loaded up the truck and we took a drive deep into the Blue Ridge in search of a little farm in the moutains owned by a lovely Mennonite family.
As we would around a mountain side and into a valley and over a ridge and down into the next valley it took us a bit longer to find the place than I had planned. Just before dark we made our way into a hollow and pulled up to a newish style farmhouse.
The gentleman of the house met me at the door. Wonderful smells of supper poured out of the door and wrapped me in warmth on a cold fall evening. Gracie had no idea why we were at this place. Steve was sleeping in his car seat. I roused them both and went in. In through the the livingroom and to the kitchen where his wife, several daughters, a couple of sons and a littler of puppies where in a flurry of evening activity.
Some girls helped to cook. Some girls set the table. Boys played with puppies and wandered in and out from rooms in the back of the house. The dogs present where two different sizes. I assumed the larger pup was the mother of the litter and the other two were her puppies. I was wrong. The mother was a miniature poodle, some of the other pups where miniatures as well. Two of the pups where toy size. The only girl was a toy. It didn't take much for Gracie to decide that she was the one.
In a matter of a few minutes the deal was sealed. We wound our way out of the mountains and back to the flat lands with a puppy who easily got car sick. Not once but three times before we made it home. Then yet again when Mr. Grumpus held her while Gracie went to change her clothes and bathe. Mr. Grumpus, who did not think he could tolerate much less begin to like a tiny dog, has taken to her like crazy. He is a little intimidated by her size but still very much taken with her.
Our new family member is Abby, a toy poodle, apricot in color with the sweet disposition you could ever imagine.
All of the dogs went to the vet Wednesday morning. That was a bit of a three ring circus. All of the dogs check out in great shape. They all got shots. J.E.B and Ajax got their rabies vaccination. J.E.B will be fixed in two weeks. That might just help him to settle down, too. Ajax won't be big enough for the surgery until sometime in March. The vet was very pleased with them and was really surprised they came from the pound.
Abby will be microchipped next month. She is 2lbs 4oz now and maybe in a month she will gain another pound and it will be easier for them to slip the needle under her skin to inject the chip. She did get her puppy boosters and as yet she is far too small for a rabies vaccine so we will wait until such time as she is big enough.
We had planned to get Abby a sweater to help keep her warm. Steve didn't like the idea of 'dressing up a dog' and wasn't keen on it. The vet recommeded that she have a sweater and his attitude changed. He suggested we should buy the sweater for Colby and Gracie and anything else needed for Abby. And so we did. Last night we made a trip with all the kids and all the puppies to petsmart and went shopping. J.E.B. got a new crate. Ajax got a new rawhide. Steve got a new book. Gracie chose a sweater. colby chose a coat. I chose a lovely shampoo, conditioner and spritz for bathing Abby and keeping her sweet smelling.
I still think we need one more. A small companion for Abby. Abby is one of Colby's and Grace's Christmas presents. Normally I don't think puppies are good to wake up to on Christmas morning because they are often spur of the moment type things to make a big impact but I have really wanted to do this for a very long time for them. Now was the right time.
Now before you groan and say, "OMG, she's gone crazy! You must know I grew up in a family with many dogs. My grandparents had indoor and outdoor dogs. My stepfather had a kennel of hunting dogs (beagles, hounds, bird dogs, etc.) and we had outdoor pets. My mother wasn't crazy about a dog in her house so we were limited to the outdoor variety of pets. When Colby was born that changed and she allowed indoor dogs - go figure. My former in-laws had several small pampered indoor dogs and a few spoiled outdoor dogs.
I have always lived in the coumtry, always had great pets. I've been looking forward to this day for a long time now. Steven is learning to interact with each of the different pets. Gracie is loving being able to take the dogs for a walk and having them to play with.Colby is loving having dogs in the house again and the sound of life all around her. Steve admits he is enjoying watching and interacting with the kids and dogs and traveling as a pack. The dogs go with us everywhere and are really well behaved.
I am feeding the dogs a more natural diet. They get rice, yogurt and eggs in the morning and fresh meat protein and a bit of puppy chow in the evenings. The kennel stench is now gone and their coats are beginning to show a shine. Ajax has lost his bloated belly and the gas is gone. Abby loves her rice, yogurt and eggs in the morning. It is one thing we don't have to hand feed her that she will gobble right up.
Speaking of eggs - I am getting about a dozen or so a day now. I collect twice a day. I hope you can tell the variety of colors. They are gorgeous! Such beautiful dark yolks, too.
Since the dog has been gone the house has been strangely quiet. Not a noise out of place. No night time jingles of jewelry on a collar. No midnight run of the staircase. No tapping of nails on the hardwood floor. No snoring, farting or loud sighs.No barking at unfamiliar sounds. Just quiet.
Steve and I went out to lunch alone last weekend. Over burgers and beer we talked about how quiet the house was. I asked if we could get another dog. Steve said he would love to have another dog. We discuss the pros and cons of different breeds and narrowed down what we would like to have in the next dog who came into our family. He wanted a German Shepherd. I wanted a Chocolate Lab.
We talked about how with me being the one at home all day that the lion's share of the daily care would fall on me and the dog should be a dog I really liked and cared for as well as a good family dog for everyone to enjoy.
All week long Steve has mentioned what he would like in a family dog. We have looked at petfinder and scouted the possibilities of dogs at local and neighboring county shelters. We had our eye on a couple but due to the holiday weekend all the shelters in 5 counties were closed until next week.
I understand having holidays off but these people are local government employees and someone has to come in and feed and clean up after the dogs so why not open for a few hours friday or saturday? More people are home doing family activities at this time of the year on the weekends you would think they would see this as a perfect time to push pet adoption. Not so in our county.
On a notion I asked Steve to call the Louisa County Shelter. They were open today. The only shelter we could find that was open mind you.
Before we left Steve had a stern talk with the girls about not getting their heart set on a dog, no begging for a dog, and he and I had final approval on a dog. The kids understood completely. Steve didn't listen to himself. He took Steven to the truck and sat in the passenger side waiting for me - he walked out with his cigarettes and his phone. I had to bank the fire and lock up because he was in such a hurry he didn't even think about it. Ha!
We had/have the opportunity to get a pure bred dog but Steve really wanted to see what was at the pound first. So we went looking.
We went in - 5 kennels with 5 dogs - well, 1 puppy and 4 older dogs. The puppy had been surrendered by the owners. When Steve approached the kennel the puppy dropped to the floor and rolled over on his back paws up begging for attention. Steve immediately fell in love with the puppy.
The attendant told me there were a couple of other dogs in another area and asked me if I wanted to look but only one person at a time could go in. I went in and if I saw something interesting Steve could go in and have a look.
There were about 20 kennels mostly full of dogs being held for a longer time before being offered for adoption. The woman went down the row on one side and pointed out a couple of dogs ready to go. I did not like any of them. They were older and not the breeds I am partial to. The woman answered the phone and was away a few minutes then came back and pointed out two more dogs available then a third that would be released for adoption this evening.
I asked if I could take that dog out. She gave me a leash and I took the dog out and let him run and play and do his business. I took him back into the front of the kennel and asked Steve to step out and have a look. Steve put his puppy back in the kennel and stepped out. Some people were milling around outside and the lady behind the desk remarked 3 people had called coming to see the little puppy.
I turned to Steve and said, "If you want that puppy get him now before someone walks out of here with him before you can." You should have seen how quickly he moved! LOL he scooped up that puppy in a flash.
Here we are in the main office with a puppy and a nine month old dog and 
there was no debate or haggling or choosing.
We came home with two new family members today.
Both dogs had been surrendered by their owners.
Meet Ajax.
He is a 12 week old german shepherd - laborador mix. Steve has quickly spoiled himed him rotten. As I type he and Ajax are on the floor snuggled by the fire. He is stroking and petting and rubbing his sleeping baby.
Ajax is a very sweet puppy. He is shy and little timid. He friendly and is quickly learning to play. He is not house broken. He is not fixed (yet). In due time all of this will be corrected. We were surprised that this shelter didn't take care of those things themselves from the start.
Meet J.E.B.
He is a 9 month old chocolate lab - german pointer mix. He is an active boy and has yet to make a sound beyond one whine. He has learned quickly to sit and stay. He doesn't know how to play. He is now asleep over by the fireplace, too.
We went out pet shopping, taking both dogs with us, to pick up a new dog bed, two new collars and leashes, dog shampoo (both have awful flakey dandruff) and other odds and ends and treats. We spent too much money on these two dogs. We also got them new engraved dog tags.
The woman at the shelter fudged (shhhhhhhh) and let me have J.E.B today instead of making us wait and come back for him monday. He has not been fixed but will be as soon as I can get an appointment with the vet.
They both need their rabies and lyme disease vacs. They both need to be fixed. The shelter gave us an extended period until late February to meet those needs as it gets expensive doing this for two dogs at the same time. I thanked her kindly.
They both got a much needed bath this evening. Then they were given their new dog beds (yes, we chose two extra large dog beds and J.E.B won't lay on his!), chew toys and bones. They have drank gallons of water and eaten like pigs. They can't seem to get enough to drink or eat this evening. J.E.B is a bit skinny and could use some meet on his bones. The puppy is growing fast and will need a little extra as well.
The only problem I have at the moment is that the little one, Steve has nicknamed him 'little bit', is a farter. he has been asleep over there for over and hour and the farts coming out that puppy is disgusting. OMG he stinks. They just make Steve laugh like a fool.
When we brought them home this evening we put them out back in the fenced yard. J.E.B immediately went over to the pool and walked across the pool cover which isn't completely fastened down yet and fell in. He was floundering in the deep end and couldn't get out (the water is pulled way down and the steps are covered. Steve went tearing across the yard and pulled him out. I thought for sure he was going to dive in after him. Not 20 minutes later Ajax did the same thing. Dumb dogs! The water is like ice! We had to dry them both and bring them in to get warm.
So, we have two new dogs. I like them both. We should all live happily ever after now.
Who looks happier, Steve or the puppy?
One more thing. We named the dogs. J.E.B didn't have a name at the shelter and Ajax was being called Peter by a volunteer. He doesn't look like a Peter nor does he even answer to that name.
I had this long detailed post written about how my mother is here and how she is helping me to get caught up and how thankful I am to have her here and how much she has lightened my load and about how I would be able to get a great Thanksgiving Day dinner on the table because she had taken over alot of my chores and gotten me all caught up. My house is clean, alot of the prep work has been done and she caught up the laundry and the general daily house chores.
This morning we were looking forward to yet another productive day.
Until she fell on the last two steps of my front hall staircase. She said her foot twisted. She has been taken to the ER.
I will update later.
