I have been planning this blog for a while now. I was going to write about House of the Dragon and how the new season would reawaken my obsession with Game of Thrones. Well that did happen, is currently happening, and I’m spiraling because I just want to engage in that fandom fully. Except I’m finding it difficult to do so, because well, we got a puppy! An unplanned spontaneous puppy, but a sweet little puppy nonetheless. Her name is Sadie, a Lab Border Collie mix. She is a handful but she’s the cutest and my husband and I love her!
You might be asking “Why did you get a spontaneous puppy? That sounds like a terrible thing to be unprepared for!” Well yes and no. See, we were partially prepared for a puppy because we’d been discussing it and we have a geriatric Dachshund. Although Charlie will be 17 in about 2 months, he’s still thriving despite some mobility issues and a new puppy in the house. He’s taking it like a champ, but I suspect only because he’s getting extra treats. It's because of Charlie we felt prepared to handle a spontaneous puppy. After all we had about half the things you might need for a puppy, and caring for Charlie can be a lot at times so a puppy couldn't be much worse. Boy were we wrong.
The thing we were least prepared for is the fact that puppies have a lot of energy and need constant supervision, two things Charlie doesn't have or need a lot of. Luckily it’s been pretty fun adjusting to this new normal, except when I’d just like to watch a show or two, but walking, teaching her tricks, playing fetch, it’s all been pretty exciting. I could do without her constant need to bite things, especially me, but we're working on that, she is a puppy after all.
Now that I have a puppy my whole personality is just the person who has a puppy. I love playing with her, talking about her, showing off her cute little photos, telling stories of her hilarious puppy hijinks, like constantly trying to play with Charlie, who in all his dog wisdom has decided that's not for him anymore. Here she is in Charlie's wagon on her very first walk. She got tired and kept flopping in the grass so we set her in the wagon with Charlie. She stayed in for a whole five minutes before abandoning ship.
I could actively talk about Sadie and Charlie for hours, and I haven’t even brought up my cat (who is not a fan of a puppy in his house). Instead of going on and on about my puppy, I will tell you about some some books I wish I’d read beforehand. These are just the tip of the iceberg on dog training books, we have so many you'll be sure to find one to fit your specific needs. Just make your way to 636.7 in non-fiction for all your dog care needs.
Puppy care is exhausting but it’s also so fun to watch them learn and grow. They do it so fast so you’ve really got to make the most of it. I'm already sad at how big Sadie's gotten in the last month alone.
This book may have caught my eye because of the cover. Who doesn’t love a dog wearing a tie?
Welcoming your Puppy From Planet Dog
This is the one that I’m currently using to help make my cat and puppy get along. Only time will tell if it works.
Not really a book about training but there’s hardly anything cuter than dogs in water, except maybe puppies in water. If only Sadie was more interested in the lake than she was in frolicking through the sand.
It’s always nice to know facts about whatever kind of dog you’re bringing home. It really helps to understand them and get them trained properly. Plus it’s always fun to learn dog facts!
And if you're looking for something more audiovisual to help you in training we do have some non-fiction DVD's that might be just what the doctor ordered.
I am by no means a puppy raising expert, this is only the second puppy I’ve ever had and the first as an adult. So far I wouldn't trade having her for anything, even if I wish she’d just let me watch House of the Dragon with no interruptions.
-Mary Gomer is a Cataloging Assistant at Lawrence Public Library.
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