Yes, folks, there will soon be a puppy in my life. I am not really a dog person. Dogs smell, they shed hair everywhere, sniff crotches, and jump up on me. What’s not to like? I hear you ask. What can I say? Puppies are adorable, and I’m hoping that by the time this particular puppy becomes a dog I’ll have bonded with her so that I won’t notice all that other stuff.
I should start over. The beginning is a good place to begin… First off, this is not my dog I’m talking about — she will belong to my son, Adam. He needs to get an assistance dog, and he decided the time is right. After extensive research on various breeds, he decided on a Newfoundland. They are BIG, (like him), very intelligent (also like him–but don’t tell him I said that), lazy happy to just lay around about 95% of the time (…), devoted, loyal, yada yada yada. In other words, a dog version of Himself. Newfies are popular for training to be assistance dogs. Just the ticket! So a few weeks ago we paid a visit to a breeder who lives right here in Tasmania. Only a couple hours away. She had ten six-week old puppies. Oh My Dog! They were so adorable…I wanted one, too. I especially want(ed) Ant, the runt of the litter. He’s a little devil, that one. Full of spunk. Scratch that — I do know better.
The puppies will not be available until they are twelve weeks old. They have to have medical checks, including a DNA test for some of the problems Newfies are prone to. Hence the twelve weeks. I’m not sure if the de-sexing happens this early for girls. I’ve forgotten that little detail.
Well, the time is drawing nigh; excitement is mounting. The puppy that has been selected for Adam is a little girl. Well, she’s little now. She will grow to about 120 lbs, and stand at 27 inches tall. (Now you see why Adam wanted a female – they are a good bit smaller than the males.) He has named her Mini. Naturally.
Meet Mini
The big question in all of this is, how will Pigeon (the cat) react to Mini invading his space? Pigeon is a huge cat — very lean and strong — so it is essential that Mini be big enough that Pigeon not consider her to be his supper. Come to think of it, what will Mini think of all the dead critters, or parts of critters, that Pigeon routinely brings in for Adam’s enjoyment? (Note: Adan does NOT enjoy these presents, no matter how hard Pigeon has worked to produce them.) Perhaps Adam can train Mini to dispose of them for him. Now that would make his life easier!
Better stop now. I’ve got a lot of bibs kerchiefs to make. Did I mention that Newfies are notorious for drooling? Oh, joy. MM
Filed under: Animals, creative nonfiction, Dogs, Humor, pets Tagged: Assistance dogs, dogs, Newfies, Newfoundlands, Puppies
