Deb
Posted : 6/30/2006 6:46:48 AM
Hey everyone,
I am having (even in Firefox) a hard time getting pictures to upload, so I don't know as this really cute picture of his face is uploading, but...
Thanks for all the well wishes! I wound up going with a friend of the original cool breeder, and the new breeder is very cool as well. It all came down to timing. Cool breeder just had pups, but they won't be ready to go until August, and that's a really bad time for me to be housetraining. This is a picture from a visit last week to the new breeder's house. Funny, for the folks who already know the whoooole long dog story:
So I go to great lengths to tell New Breeder about Laika, my husband's need for a good dog experience, etc. And I get to the house and she points out the dog she's chosen for us: the runt of the litter, and also the mellowest one. I watch him for about two hours (with a nap break), and he is a good good pup for us. Mellow, not excitable. Happy to play and plays normally with his brothers and sisters, but not drivey or needy. Not timid, doesn't mind the grownup dogs running all around (like a bunch of freaky vizslas) or all the strange people. Sweet as sugar and calm, doesn't mind watching from the sidelines. Started looking for problems, and found none. He didn't get bossed around by anybody, wasn't scorned or rejected by the mama or any brothers or sisters, got plenty to eat (although he and the alpha did wind up competing for the last bits of kibble in the bowl and alpha was, well, bossier about it).
But do I see this as the goodness that it is? Of course not. I fall in love with the bossiest puppy and get into a foul mood for getting the runt. What the heck? He's going to be great, and the takeaway I guess is that if I, who researched and researched would pick the wrong pup for herself in a second, it's a really good thing that breeders choose for you. I was happy to have that choice made for me, as I would have really messed it up.
Original plan was to pick him up on Saturday, but there is a complication. My DH is battling a case of the shingles right now, which is very painful for him. Can't bring a brand-new pup into the house when he is so miserable, but also want to take advantage of the long weekend. Playing it very much by ear...
