BC – life Before Coco. it was relatively quiet and calm. occasional kitty fights to break up, but nothing that couldn’t be managed.
and now, life AC – After Coco. a whole different story.
here she is after arriving on tuesday morning. i’d been at work so i didn’t even see her arrive with her mom, who has thankfully been adopted by someone and will hopefully do well.
she was full of energy from the moment i saw her, and she has yet to let up.
when we got inside coco had quickly made herself comfortable. she’s part yellow lab, part catahoula leopard dog, which i just read is the state dog of Louisiana! that’s funny.
Jill took this picture of us to post on her WILD Canine Rescue organization, the new rescue place in town that Jill started a few months ago. That’s a facebook link; i don’t think they have an actual website yet, although there is also a twitter link. Jill just keeps on taking care of so many dogs…
after she left, coco attempted to enjoy herself.
so far she’s doing a brilliant job of that. she is definitely have the most fun of anybody here.
here’s the thing – i’ve never had a puppy, i’ve never had a human child. i pointed out to kevin that at least you can take a puppy outside to go to the bathroom.
the only problem with that, though, is carrying the puppy outside when the ground is literally a sheet of ice, which it was yesterday morning. kevin carried her out early in the morning and fell down on the driveway, sending his glasses flying and hitting his head. he didn’t do any serious damage, thank goodness, but he was incredibly sore all over yesterday and still is today. he’s trying to take it easy…
the puppy doesn’t take it easy, except after she’s worn herself out from furiously playing, when she conks out for a peaceful time for all.
i worried about the cats before getting her, but i think they’ll be ok. i hope they’ll be OK, because i don’t want their lives to be upset for too much longer. at first they didn’t even come around, but now they’re doing better, but coco is always rushing up to lester, wanting to play, getting in his face, nipping at him. les has batted a few times, but sometimes he just runs away.
winnie always runs away, and seems to be the most upset. he was already upset by chester attacking him at regular intervals, and at age 14, i know that the last thing he wanted was a crazed puppy rushing him.
chester hissed and swiped at coco a couple of times, so she’s a little scared of him. chester seems the least fazed by the whole thing. right now he’s sprawled on the couch next to him, blissfully blissful.
being a novice puppy owner, i didnt’ know how crazed they can be. when she starts playing things are fine and dandy, but then she’ll get all wound up, growling and acting like she’s out of her mind. she’ll bite at my ankles or my hands, or she’ll come up behind me and leap and nip and chew…we’ve been doing a lot of reading about labs, and this is all just part of them being a puppy…and they don’t grow out of it for two years. that’s a mighty long time.
but she’s already a bit calmer, and we’ve only had her five days now. mom came over to visit yesterday and ooohed and aahed over the puppy, but then coco clamped onto mom’s jeans, growling and snarling and wouldn’t let go, and mom was just as freaked out as i had been.
just being a puppy.
kevin has been taking her out a couple times a night, but last night i did it because he’s so sore. it got colder and colder all day yesterday, and in the middle of the night it was cold and windy and there was a light dusting of snow on the ground. luckily i had spread some salt on the back porch and steps, so i didn’t also fall and hurt myself. coco didn’t seem to mind the cold one bit, and the second time i let her out i made the mistake of setting her down right next to the back steps, and she walked right under the porch, a place she’d never explored before. and guess what, there was cat poop under there! i was pretty sure i’d never get her out, but after a while i did manage to lure her from her newly-found favorite place.
here are a few more photos of her first day. this is chester’s initial reaction. behind him is the lovely picture that aunt sandy painted of mollie.
from the get-go, chester held his ground.
this has been the story, pretty much, all these five days.
but les is maintaining.
and how could you not love such an angelic sleeping baby? she’s wrapped in the blanket that her mom slept on.
another sleep, still the first day.
and yet another nap on that first day. she probably sleeps more than she’s awake, but the awake times seem pretty long so far.
meanwhile, christmas is going to be here before i know it. i put up most of the decorations except les pulled down the fireplace garland in the night, partially because of his frustration with the puppy, but also because he’s wanted to eat it all the time. i have a few more things on the dining room table, and i’m either going to put them up or put them away today. i’d like a little order in between the puppy chaos.
because i was sick i’m seriously behind on my cookie-baking. i got a couple kinds backed yesterday, but now it’s almost noon and i’ve spent too much of this free day lounging around like the kitties.
i hope you are warm.
ok then
mrs.christmas countdown with crazed puppy hughes.