I previously shared with you my first experience of being called “grandma.” Now, I can say I am no longer a “first time” grandma.
After a lot of thought, discussion, and down-right guilt-trips (by our dog-you know, those sad eyes that make you feel so guilty when you’ve done nothing to feel guilty about), we decided it was time for him to have a brother and playmate. It was a very difficult decision to make because I now had the experience of the “puppy days”. By “puppy days,” I don’t mean the cute, roly-poly, clumsy, puppy breath things. I mean the going outside every two hours, the constant energy, the rushing home to make sure their needs are met, the messes, and the chewing on everything because they are teething. Although I honestly was enjoying the quiet and for the most part relaxing evenings, we agreed that an addition to the family would be in the best interest of our dog, and us by extension. A happy dog makes a happy (less destroyed) home! So, we began our search. Of course, we wanted to rescue a dog from the shelter, so we spent hours researching the local shelters; but we had never done this before and didn’t want this to have a negative impact on our dog or the “adopted” dog who may have already been traumatized. We honestly didn’t know how our dog was going to react. We finally agreed that our new addition would need to be a puppy.
My daughter looked at a lot of puppies, but there was one that really caught her eye…and they weren’t very far from us. The “meeting” of the dogs was set up, with my daughter telling me that she was “NOT coming home with a puppy.” Well, you don’t have to be a mom to know that any animal lover who meets an available puppy IS going to come home with a new puppy. The “meet and greet” went very well. Both the dog and the puppy behaved well and seemed to like one another – so we came home with my second “granddog.”
I think our dog thought this was just a “play date” and once he realized the puppy was staying, he did as any older sibling would do – “No, that’s mine!! I’m not sharing my toys, my food, my mom, my grandma…” The first week was very difficult. Through the sleep deprivation and exhaustion, we had many moments where we questioned whether we had made the right decision. Then we would see them playing together, running in the yard, and the smile on their faces, and that reassured us that it was going to work out great. We know it is going to take work, patience, discipline, and time, but the outcome is going to make it all worth it!
So, to all you first-time puppy owners, I encourage you not to give up. I believe puppies are more work than babies, but they will grow up and will no longer require the exhausting care-giving that newborns require. So, just as any new parent, nap when they nap; provide training and discipline (which can be more exhausting than exercise); do what it takes to drain their energy; enlist the help of family and friends; give yourself breaks; and most of all enjoy watching them grow! Remember, they grow up faster than babies!
;)
