Life with puppy
Some people have commented to me that I have perhaps gone insane agreeing to the puppy and all. One friend even pointed out that it was just a week before that I had told her that I really didn't want a puppy. Another called to find out what had happened so that she could avoid whatever it was and didn't end up with a puppy herself.
I will admit there have been a few moments this week where I have doubted my sanity as well. Those moments would usually come when the puppy starts barking to go out at 5:45 am or when both little girls are screaming because they are terrified of the cute little puppy's needle sharp teeth. At that point neither girls or puppy are quite so cute. I will say it adds a certain level of chaos around here that we don't normally experience.
Training the puppy also turns into a lot of training the children as well. Gretel is thrilled with her new litter, um people. I'm pretty sure that she thinks that these are the best, most fun puppies she has ever gotten to play with. They behave in unexpected ways, they jump up and down, they wave around, and they make a lot of noise. She just doesn't understand why she can't play with them as she would play with other puppies. And no matter how much we practice standing still like a tree, I have yet to convince the small people that jumping up and down and screaming is not the way to get her to stop trying to chew on them. Ah, fun times.
But Gretel is a cute, cute puppy. Plus, she has managed in less than a week what good intentions for several years have not: get me out of bed at an earlier time. There is nothing like the motivation of trying to avoid pee on the floor (or in the crate) to get one out of bed... and she's louder than an alarm clock as well. And once I'm out of bed, I'm very unlikely to get back in, so I continue on in my early morning fog until the first cup of coffee has fully entered my system.
And the other thing I love (and probably a big reason we now have a puppy) is that there is nothing like a fuzzy puppy to hold and love. And they are pretty straight forward creatures... love them and feed them and they are your best friend. And sometimes, especially when raising far more complicated children, a happy, lappy, licky dog who thinks you are pretty terrific is just what you need.
I will admit there have been a few moments this week where I have doubted my sanity as well. Those moments would usually come when the puppy starts barking to go out at 5:45 am or when both little girls are screaming because they are terrified of the cute little puppy's needle sharp teeth. At that point neither girls or puppy are quite so cute. I will say it adds a certain level of chaos around here that we don't normally experience.
Training the puppy also turns into a lot of training the children as well. Gretel is thrilled with her new litter, um people. I'm pretty sure that she thinks that these are the best, most fun puppies she has ever gotten to play with. They behave in unexpected ways, they jump up and down, they wave around, and they make a lot of noise. She just doesn't understand why she can't play with them as she would play with other puppies. And no matter how much we practice standing still like a tree, I have yet to convince the small people that jumping up and down and screaming is not the way to get her to stop trying to chew on them. Ah, fun times.
But Gretel is a cute, cute puppy. Plus, she has managed in less than a week what good intentions for several years have not: get me out of bed at an earlier time. There is nothing like the motivation of trying to avoid pee on the floor (or in the crate) to get one out of bed... and she's louder than an alarm clock as well. And once I'm out of bed, I'm very unlikely to get back in, so I continue on in my early morning fog until the first cup of coffee has fully entered my system.
And the other thing I love (and probably a big reason we now have a puppy) is that there is nothing like a fuzzy puppy to hold and love. And they are pretty straight forward creatures... love them and feed them and they are your best friend. And sometimes, especially when raising far more complicated children, a happy, lappy, licky dog who thinks you are pretty terrific is just what you need.
Gretel, the puppy
L. (on left) and G., trying to stay away from the puppy.
Yes, you do see the pen in the background. We are really getting our money's worth out of it.
And now the girls are just being silly, someone must have picked the puppy up.
Comments