Our family consists of me (Sarah), Jacob (12), Sophie (10); 4 cats - Kevin (12), Summer (5 1/2), Mango and Mika/aka the Ginger Demons (1); and our dog Flora - a 2 year old American Bulldog. Back in May there would also have been our collie boy Bear (aged 14 1/2) included in that list. In lots of ways he still is, but physically he left a huge gap in our family and we all missed him terribly.
Our very handsome Bear.
After giving ourselves time to grieve and adjust to Bear's loss, it was decided that our now very independant Flora would be happiest allowing a puppy to share our lives rather than an adult dog.
My wonderful friend Fionna of Lizzies Barn Sanctuary (where Flora came from) promised to keep her eye out for a likely candidate. As it was, she came to stay with us for a few days last week and announced - as she stepped through the door - that she had to make a few calls about chocolate labradors that were due to arrive at the rescue. Upon making the calls, we heard that a 14 week old bitch puppy needed a space and so that was our plan scuppered as we needed a dog puppy to allow for the easiest transition for Flora.
However, the following day we discovered that the previous information was wrong and that the puppy was indeed a dog!! It was agreed that we would take him on as soon as possible.
One of the first photos that we received of the puppy needing a home.
Then my car died :o(
And so my wonderfully wonderful friend Loobie offered to collect the puppy and bring him to us. This is *not* the way that the rescue normally does things, but Fionna made an exception as she knows myself, my family and my home so well and she also knows Loobie well enough to know that she would take the best of care with the precious cargo.
Excitement gripped as we realised that we had just 2 days to prepare for the arrival of a chocolate whirlwind!
The garden and house had to be puppy proofed, treats needed to be purchased, suitable toys needed to be placed and the lounge needed to be rearranged to accommodate a crate. It was all done in a flurry with Flora looking utterly bemused at the random bouncing around the house and occasional shrieks of "puppypuppypuppypuppy"!!
Having only taken on rescue dogs who at their youngest had been 7 months, we really had no definite ideas of what to expect of living with a puppy and so I mentally prepared myself for the worst scenario: no sleep, lots of barking, destroyed belongings, chewed furniture, constant puddles on the floor.
Little did we know just what was about hit us!
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