Thursday, June 19, 2008

Our Family Puppy

After many months of discussion, research, nagging from my 9-year-old, countless worries from my husband, we've adopted a puppy. Her name is Star, and she's a 9-month-old Border Collie/German Shepherd/Pit Bull mix. Because of a landlord's change in policy, her previous family had to surrender her to the Humane Society. Their loss is our gain - she is housebroken, spayed, vaccinated, microchipped, and knows "sit" and "lie down" and "kennel". She is a beautiful lady with a beautiful disposition. How lucky could we get, to have the joys of a playful puppy with most of the tough stuff already done? She even lies down in the other room when we're eating supper - no begging!!!

For the most part, the transition gone very well, aside from a few things for which we were not prepared:
1. Explosive Diarrhea. Now, I remember quite a few "blow-outs" when my son was a baby, but puppies don't wear diapers. I think they should, after this experience. The mess, which was mostly contained to the kennel (every square inch of it, mind you), and the smell were enough to make me consider giving up. Apparently the previous owners fed her very bland (cheap) food, and the 'good stuff' was too rich. Fortunately, after a few days of ground beef and rice (with a little canned pumpkin for fiber) and some Imodium, she got over it.
2. She has been very good with new people - including my 2-year-old niece. There have only been 2 people with whom she's been out of control. And they are both 10-year-old boys with attention and psychiatric issues. She just goes nuts - barking and jumping and nipping - before they even made a move or said a word. One of them lives next door and spends a lot of time with my son, so it's kind of important we get her over this.
3. She has major separation anxiety! My son never got this upset when I left - and I never gave him a peanut butter filled Kong when I left him! She gets that, plus the radio and ceiling fan left on.

So, if anyone knows how to get over the nightmares of puppy diarrhea :), soothe a puppy around kids with anxious energy, and cure puppy separation anxiety....I'm open to ideas!

Now I've got a belly to scratch so I can earn some puppy kisses!