On Puppies

Let me tell you, puppies are NO FUN. I never really wanted a puppy, I just want a good dog and, well, they start out as puppies. I know, I know...the shelters are full of them but we want a big dog (kind of-at least we thought we did) that is (or at least will be) more settled down as time goes on. We tried a big dog...sniff sniff...that was a rescue dog. Her name was Katie Belle...she was sweet but had some neuroses (from her previous life?) and she was a boxer which apparently equals high strung. We couldn't keep her off the furniture, she was chewing up blinds--in her defense it was because we went outside without her and she freaked out to be left inside. Poor girl.She was good as gold with the kids though, I will say that. But, if she wouldn't stop with the furniture and blinds...and she had a total attack when kenneled... it was not a good fit for our family. (We don't want to kennel a grown dog all of the time but they also have to behave on some level when left alone.)

Enter Callie. Callie is a puppy. Callie is a maniac. She's a yellow lab and there have been  many days already (we got her Thanksgiving weekend) that I thought about, well, it's not nice. But we wouldn't have a Callie any more if I did those things. The puddles are becoming fewer and further in between which is a plus. Now she has a new trick. She can open the pantry door and get into her food. And eat. And eat. And eat. Her food is not cheap...and it makes her sick when she eats too much! Duh! (Sssh, don't tell Nathan I said that because I told him we're not allowed to, to which he replied "It was just a little duh mom, not a big one.")

Callie. Yes. She is driving me berserk. Nothing feels clean anymore. Ever. When she's mad at us she pees on the patio. Yuck. She is not very organized with any of her eliminating...which minimizes my kids' ability to run in the backyard (who knew that Daphne was just special that way?? We NEVER had that issue with her!)

I just keep thinking of how Daphne was as a puppy (she wasn't ours then and I was thankful for that often during those first 3 years when my friend would tell me what she'd been up to!) and that means that we have hope for Callie, right? In the meantime...she's growing FAST!!!!

Her first vet visit (Beginning of December) she was about 12 lbs....we weighed her the other night (until I can get her into the vet) and she's now 27 lbs! Yikes!!!!