THE PUPPY LIVES!

Last Sunday night, eight days ago, we brought home a beautiful expensive little doggie. This was a much planned and anticipated pooch. I spent more time preparing for this dog than I did planning for my marriage. Now it's lasted over 35 years. We'll see how I do with dogs.

I knew this would be a challenge but anticipating work and actually doing work are two different things. She is smart. She is beautiful. And she is a puppy. Oi! The peeing! The pooping! The carrying outside while being peed on! The barking when she feels ignored!

People tell me having a puppy is like having a baby. I've never had one of those! And now I know why. But I figure this is part of my life path. In my mid-fifties it's time for me to learn to care for another living being. And once she's house-trained I'll have one of the most beautiful dogs on the planet.

So, briefly, on our five hour drive from Astoria last Sunday we faced terrible thunderstorms and she peed and vomited on my spouse. Sunday night we introduced her to her crate next to my side of the bed. I kept slipping my fingers into the holes of the crate to calm her down during the night. I also got up and took her outside about eight times. She only needed to go four times.

As the week went on her sleeping patterns regulated a bit, though last night I once again woke up to bark whining after midnight because something she ate made her have some runny poops.

See, Saturday morning we went to the Orvis Dog Days event and she got lots of snack samples. Something didn't suit her. So, from now on until she's an adolescent, she just gets cheese, peanut butter, and her regular kibble as a treat. Well, maybe some meat, too.

I've been doing my best to get her socialized. She can't join the local recommended puppy class until she's had her next shots in August because the woman who runs the class doesn't trust breeders who say they've given the puppy shots. I've got to bring in the vet's receipt which I don't as yet have. So to help her out I've been taking her to pet stores and places like Lowes. And she met many big dogs at the Orvis event, including two full grown standard poodles, one of them fellow with a truly massive head. He was owned by a couple of folks from the South. The gentleman called that big boy a "bubba dawg." Tomorrow I think I'll take her for a walk downtown.

My husband thinks I am worrying too much. I want to do what is best for her and have been reading books like How To Raise a Puppy You Can Live With, The Dog Bible and Dog Training for Dummies. I've also spent a ton of money for her kennel (a beautiful thing from Options Plus), her doghouse, and all the toys I've been buying. I have broken down in tears several times worrying about her eating stuff from the yard, about not being able to figure out when she needs to crap, etc. I've taken her to the vet and purchased pet insurance against the possibility of severe disease or injury. (That will be a couple of hundred bucks a year.) I feel very stressed out as I try to do everything right so that she won't be a crazy dog when she grows up, so we'll have a wonderful companion, and so she won't eat something or catch a disease that will kill her.

But I'll tell you, if I hadn't sunk the money into her that I have, if she were a pound puppy, I'd probably be taking her back. The task feels overwhelming.

I just now (8:44 p.m.) said those words to our across-the-street neighbors' daughter. A herd of kids came out of their house and came over to see Birdy. The daughter (a very pretty young woman called, I think, Chrissie) says that Birdy is very precious and I told her that she was but that I was going nutz because this was my first time caring for something. She comiserated. She also gave me the cool idea to make sure to just take my girl outside every hour. Maybe that will help.

So, technical stuff.

She is eating twice a day, as per my breeder's instructions, a combo of kibble (IAMS Proactive mini chunks in the green bag) and Natural Balance Beef. She also snacks a bit on kibble I put in an empty rootbeer bottle.

She weighs 12 pounds and stands 11 inches at the shoulder.