Two Puppies Are Better Than One - March Update

A face only a mother could love?

Since we lost my husband's husky about 4 years ago, we have talked about getting another dog.  We haven't been able to agree on a breed. Until adopting Trevi, I didn't realize that some dogs have hair, not fur, and don't shed. Because we moved into a home with wood floors that show everything, I kept holding out hope that he would agree to a breed with hair and not fur. Every time I suggested one, he said it was ugly, and that I like ugly dogs. I have no idea what he's talking about, as I picked out Trevi and she is pretty much the cutest dog ever, as evidenced by the photo above.

Finally, he was open to getting a Bouvier, even though it really looks like a giant Trevi. I was so excited that I had won the great dog-breed selection debate, and could have a dog and a home free of any evidence of said dog. "You have a dog? A giant, black dog? But your wood floors are so clean! How do you do it?" people would marvel.

I posted on Nextdoor and found a local woman who owned one, and she walked him over so we could meet him. He was a sweetheart. "Gentle giant" she said. All was going according to plan, until we met with our vet. His take? No way did we want a dog like that with young children. He explained that we wanted a sporting dog and not a working dog. I didn't even know there was a difference. You really want to get a lab or a golden with small children. That's what I have. I agreed and smiled and nodded, but my husband was shocked when we walked out of the office and I said "Well, golden retriever it is!" He thought I was just being nice and agreeable, and in no way thought my mind could be changed that swiftly. But it just made sense. Our children's safety means way more than not having to keep a lint roller in the car

He was so excited that I changed my mind that he started contacting breeders that day. Who knew breeders could be so...particular? One even went so far to say that she picks out the $2,500 puppy for us, based on what she knows about us and we do not get to select. Are you kidding? Most would make us sign a no breeding clause. But we want to breed a few times, in a few years, so that the kids can have the experience of puppies. We also want to keep a puppy from a future litter so that we can always have a descendant of our original dog. And the children can one day own the great-great-great granddaughter of their original dog! Hopefully, this sounds more sentimental than it does crazy.

And did I mention the cost? Most dogs that were AKC registered were $2,000-$3,000. But my husband loves a good deal, and we found a breeder in Yucaipa that had puppies for "only" $900 each. What a bargain, let's get two!  But all of her puppies were spoken for, and we thought we would keep them in mind for a future litter. But while A and I were at a friend's party in Riverside, he received a text that TWO of the potential owners had backed out, and two sisters were left. He called me to ask if I wanted to go "look" at them that night. I knew right away that there was no way that I could only look at them, and that we would most likely be bringing the girls home. I asked everyone I could at the party, thinking that someone would tell me that it was a horrible idea. Instead, I talked to an emergency room doctor and her husband, who proudly showed me video of their English cream golden retriever frolicking in the snow with the children in Mammoth. It was pretty much the cutest thing I had ever seen, and in my mind I flashed forward to our children playing with the girls out in the open space behind our home, and up in Oregon for 15 summers to come.

It was dark and we had trouble finding the home off the main drag in Yucaipa, on a winding uphill road with no street lights, curbs or sidewalks. Finally we noticed the white picket fence and long driveway. As we excitedly jumped out of the car and walked toward their garage kennel, my heart melted. I was handed one of the girls and she was the softest thing I had every felt. There was a third pup who was to be picked up the next morning and she chewed on my purse, my Disney shoes, my hair and my pants. I kept double checking that she was spoken for, and was relieved each time they said yes. 

Sitting in the kennel with the three pups surrounding me, my husband asked if I wanted to go talk to him at the car. Smiling, I just shook my head no. There was no point to discussing in private; I wanted to take both these girls home that night. The two children that belonged to the breeder went to say good bye to the pups with tears in their eyes, and we knew we made the right decision.

A lot of people can't conceal their shock when I tell them that we got two puppies. But having two is actually less work, in a way, because they play so much together. At first, we had them in our master bath at night and they didn't cry or wimper at all. Now, they are in the garage at night even though our vet said they are likely too big for coyotes, and outside during the day. They don't paw at the door or even seem to want in at all. They are perfectly happy and content outside, because they have each other and are not abandoned by their "pack." He also said that they will proved protection for Trevi if left outside with her, although Trevi would say that 1) She should never be left outside and 2) It's her protecting them, not the other way around.

Trevi keeps asking when they are going back home.

It's been amazing watching A bond with the sisters, whom she appropriately named Anna and Elsa. They are growing bigger by the day and amazingly don't jump or nip at all. Even when provoked (not by Autumn) they are mellow and sweet. They do like to go in the trampoline when kids are in there, and Elsa is in the spa any chance she gets, while Anna watches from the side lines.

When not playing with our pups, we went to Disneyland with our favorite people, saw Aladdin at Segerstrom, rode a unicorn out back, went for hikes and fishing in the behind our house, met GrandpaGlennie at a "superbloom" and took Sara the giraffe for a ride to get ice cream. 



Baby C continues to be the most content, happy baby on the planet. He now belly laughs when I give him a kiss attack, or hit him softly on the head with a clean diaper or magazine. He loves watching sister jump off steps and run around. He is very intrigued by her, and will often move his arms and legs as if he wants to join in. He isn't crawling just yet, but manages to get all around by rolling. When he wakes up after about 12 hours of sleep, he babbles to himself and shakes his rattle. He continues to be a miracle child in more ways than one.

"Baby" A now loves Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain, and I am discovering that seeing her joy brings me way more joy than I ever found on my own. Seeing my children happy is my life's greatest joy, and I would go the lengths of the earth for them.

And finally, speaking of happiness, I'm back to running with no surgery required! Here I was, imagining hip replacement surgery in my future and a second MRI with contrast showed I did not have a labral band tear! After about three weeks off, I'm back to my normal 3 mile runs with no pain.