The new parent report.

OMG. It's been over 10 years since we had a new puppy. Boy, they are a lot of work! I've learned a lot about my dog, and discovered a few pitfalls of getting a Craigslist dog. The first thing is that he was almost certainly undernourished. It was a little creepy, because this guy was SO good at standing out on the back porch picking up dead moths (a protein source). He clocked in at the vet's last week, 11 weeks old and weighing 22 lbs. We figure he's put on at least a pound since then, and is looking like a much bigger dog! Just compare the photo from 10 days ago!! (I know the angles are different, but look at how much more tile he covers!)

Although puppies need a lot of rest, I certainly haven't had any. The first day or two we had Sonny, this devil dog look really creeped me out. It's just his ducts. We've been working extra hard to learn "potty outside". His former owner kept the boxers on cement and flagstone, so El Sunny knows he's supposed to pee there. Getting him to stop crapping on the porch is gonna be a chore, but we've kinda figured out that Mom doesn't like it when he poops inside. He's a really good puddlemaker. I just keep praising him when he gets it right.

Our neighbors were kidding around, and said Sonny hit the jackpot. That's only a partial joke. I don't have any good things to say about his former owner. When we visited, he told me the pups had their first Parvo shot and needed a booster, blah, blah. The next day, when I emailed him for the records "I had a busy day at work." Like I care. The NEXT day, he emailed me that he was confused. He had only paid for shots for the mother. This made me so mad, because it put every puppy in danger. I could deal with "I went to Tractor Supply and bought the vaccines, here's the lot number I gave him." I could deal with "I didn't start their series," even tho that screams cheapskate. But to tell us a puppy had shots when he had none was a bad, bad thing. Dewclaws? The guy said they hadn't been done. According to the vet, it was a bad home job, as was his tail. Sonny NEEDED to come home with us.

Fortunately, Sonny is an adaptable dog. This week, I have seen him leap 2.5 feet in the air (it is AMAZING what a well nourished pup can do!) and he's chewing on EVERYTHING-but oddly, not little Ian. He simply licked Ian's fingers-the kid must have tasted like turkey and string beans.

He was a very good pup, and slept most of our 6 hour trip to DMILS, and most of the way back. I have to give him lots of car practice.

And my DH is absolutely smitten.