New Puppy!

I’m having a hard time making my brain work. We have a new puppy. If you have ever lived with a puppy you will know why those statements go together. I’m eating my lunch and resisting the urge to gently rest my head on my plate for a short nap.

This time of year when Blue Jays call out they say: “Beadle, beadle.” That’s the name of our new pup. The Blue Jays are calling out to her.

We have wanted a puppy for some time. Our last dog, Nikki was a shelter dog who had been adopted out, then returned by the new family when they realized how hard it was to have a pup. Especially Nik. She was a wild thing, she loved to run and dig and get into trouble. She nipped hard and often until she was old enough to know better – perhaps, a bit older than that. Eventually she settled in and by the time she was 16 she was nearly mellow. I still miss her terribly.

 

Yet, one can’t be dog-free forever.

We got Beadle a few days ago. That’s how long since I’ve slept. Beadle is a howler. She had nine siblings and now all she as is a pair of cats and a pair of humans, none of whom live in her crate. I’d probably howl too. Understanding doesn’t make it any easier to sleep.

Fortunately, Beadle is an adorable little thing. She has long, soft, mostly black fur with tan belly and legs as well as cheeks and eyebrows. She has a fine spotting of silver right around her eyes.

 

Having a puppy isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s easy to forget how awful they are. You look at them and think, “how wonderful, how sweet, how innocent.”

Then they wake up.

They howl and they bark, and they chew, and they pee (and pee and pee) and they poop, they can’t be alone for a single second.

.

Fortunately, puppies are adorable. I’m willing to forgive Beadle nearly anything. At least, let’s say, we’re working it out.

We set up a crate within a pen in the living room until she is old enough to have bladder control. At the moment we are taking her out around 15 times a day. That might be an exaggeration, but not much of one. The pen lasted for 24 hours before she climbed out. Forgot to add that to the list – puppies are escape artists.

There is a lot to know before you get a pup. This post is getting long, so I’ll write another on “pre-pup prep.”

Besides, it’s my turn to take Beadle out. I hope it’s gotten above zero by now.

Thanks for reading.
Kate

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