PUPPY LOVE

What is it about puppies I wonder that turns people to mush? Little did I realise, when my husband announced that he was going to get a dog of his own, that I was about to find out. ............................................ We've had lots of dogs over the years, from Welsh Collie's to Jack Russell's: Our current dog, Fred, is a slightly ageing and very precious Jack Russell (well he's supposed to be a Jack Russell but he was a rescue dog so we do have our doubts) Our daughter's four terriers also live on site as do our son's two, a Ridgeback and a terrier cross, so any new arrival had to be able to fit in. .......................................... We wanted to try and get another rescue dog; it's just so rewarding to feel as if you've given a needy creature a chance in life and dogs in particular are so accepting; they just take what life throws at them and love unquestioningly. All the ones we could find however turned out to be unsuitable with children or chickens or other dogs and in our situation, with visitors, children, chickens, other dogs and horses around all the time, that's definitely a no go. You take on a dog for twelve years plus so the last thing we wanted were problems from the start. ........................................... That was when we decided to go down the puppy route and thought that a chocolate Labrador might be perfect for us; friendly, sweet natured, good with kids and easy to train, that's what we'd heard. What we hadn't realised was that they sell like hot cakes and you have to buy them almost as soon as they're born. ........................................... We duly found a litter of five week old puppies at a breeders not so far away and set off, with our very excited ten year old granddaughter, to choose one -which was a mistake we realised as she chose the tiniest girl in the litter. Three weeks later we picked up Little Lucky and enrolled on one traumatic week. .......................................... We've just built a new house and didn't really want it to smell of poop so I was determined to be rigorous. For the first few nights I got up every time she made a sound, to take her outside; by the fourth day I was shattered and she'd managed to poop everywhere anyway. Why is it that you walk around with them on the grass and then come back inside only to turn your back for one second to find that they've pooped on the carpet? And why is it I wonder that, although she is my husband's dog, it seems to be me who does all the cleaning up? When asked he said that she could be my puppy but his dog! ........................................... One week on and we've made some progress. She's sleeping all night and we seem to be doing better with the toilet training. She has lots of visitors of course; everyone who comes to the Riding centre wants to see her and we've even taken her with us to the pub. Fred, our old Jack Russell seems to think that we've bought her just for him; he's got a whole new lease of life, playing and running around like an idiot... Oh no, hang on a minute, what's that on the rug. Here we go with the disinfectant again! ........................................... So exactly what is it about puppies then I wonder, that turns everyone to mush? I think I now know the answer to that question. It's their cuteness, their neediness, their innocence and their appetite for life, like children I guess. ............................................ And that I think is exactly it. Having a puppy is like having a baby, to hold and to cuddle and to love. And believe me all the hassle is worth it for the love you get back. They need you that's the thing, and doesn't everyone need to be needed. ............................................ And it is love after all, remember, that makes the world go round.

Comments

  1. Eleanor, you couldn't have written this any better! Your lucky is gorgeous! Like Fred, I am a crazy idiot for puppies (and dogs). Babies are cute, of course, but puppies.... There is something about them that makes me weak and gushy. I wish I could come over and visit your new fur baby. My rescue mini-dachshund is also named Lucky and it would be fun to see the these two Lucky's together. My border collie could help wear your Lucky out, too, and give you a good nights sleep! Thank you for making my morning.

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    1. The pup was named Lucky after a dog we loved that died seven years ago. Let's hope the name is lucky for all our dogs then. I love mini-dachshunds and almost bought one for our grand-daughter a couple of years ago. Thanks for your comments

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  2. Eleanor, you have quite the menagerie counting your children's dogs. But it looks like you have the space. We once had a black lab that we had to give away to someone on a nice farm setting, because she wanted more room to jump and run and play than our yard allowed. She could clear a 6 foot chain link fence in a single bound.

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    1. Our dogs are lucky I guess. We can just let them roam to a degree. The shot of the chickens is our garden. You must have been so sad to have to give your lab up; she must have been quite an athlete though to get over a 6 foot fence and you have to keep them in for their own good

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  3. Eleanor - I'm reduced to mush just looking at Lucky's photo! Have had several Labs, and if you can survive their puppyhood, they are the absolute best friends anyone could ask for. You're right - it's the love given without question that makes us their slaves. Your granddaughter is adorable.

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    1. Thanks Muriel. Let's hope we can survive the puppyhood, I'm already realising that it's not that easy

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  4. Eleanor, I am in awe of you taking care of so many dogs, especially terriers. I can handle only one of those at a time, although years ago I did keep one of the puppies one of my wires had. Anyway, you're so right about the appeal of puppies.

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    1. Terriers are a problem. My daughter has four and they are always fighting amongst themselves

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  5. When we lived on the farm, someone dropped two of the cutest puppies on our doorstep, and they quickly wormed their way into our hearts. They were outside dogs except for every morning after breakfast when we would bring them in and my husband would feed them the last of our breakfast. Then the male dog would sit down at the chair where our rescue cat waited to clean his face and ears.

    Yes, puppies will truly turn even the hardest heart to mush.

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  6. Eleanor, as you can tell from my post a while back (//bit.ly/1BFIx1y), my husband and I fully understand the mush factor!

    Our guys were fourteen and eighteen months old respectively when they adopted us, and they had only lived in kennels prior to that so it was an interesting experience introducing them (gradually) to the big wide world. Much like your Lucky I expect, they have boundless energy. Fortunately for us, we have a wonderful doggie "country club" not too far from where we live, where we can take them to run, swim and play in a secure, fenced environment to their (and our) hearts' delight, and with other dogs, if we wish.

    The owners have a motto that has come to resonate with us: "a tired dog; a happy owner."

    I am certain that you and Lucky will enrich each other's lives!

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  7. We've always gone with puppies, rather than a mature dog. And several times our adult dogs have had puppies. Our Irish Setter blessed us with eleven (I didn’t consider it a blessing at the time) within days of my daughter’s birth. One of those stressed out times I'm not likely to forget.

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    1. One puppy is stressful enough. I can't even imagine having eleven, especially with a new born baby to look after

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  8. Adorable puppy! I love chocolate labs. Our first dog was a chocolate lab and he was an amazingly smart and sweet dog. Thanks for sharing your cute pictures :)

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    1. Thanks Amy, Let's just hope that ours turns out to be like your chocolate lab then

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  9. All our relatives have labs :) My husband says if we get a puppy, it should be a lab. I pulling for a husky. But, I like big and furry. Hubby is smarter since we live in AZ, where it is still 100 degrees.

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    1. 100 degrees Wow! We're lucky if we get above 70 here in England

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  10. Ah, yes, the puppy days. I once had a Beagle pup that was taken from its mother too young. I fed him by bottle for several weeks, and always once or twice at night. Like a baby. For the rest of his life he would wrap a sock around his front leg and suck on it! Your new Lucky is adorable! As for terriers, my aunt had one named Toughie. The name suited him perfectly. He was nasty, and a real ankle biter. Guess he missed getting the unconditional love gene that most dogs have.

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    1. Lucky is just starting the chewing stage.i guess I've got all that to come

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