Catch-Up Part II -- Ghost

Watch out, this post will be reeeally long. Because there's a ton of stuff to say! So after we hung out with Diesel and Madi for a week, Mom really started thinking about another pooch. She'd already mentioned it a few times, but never seriously, because she wasn't figuring into getting another dog for a year or two or more. But she saw how me and Diesel loved to play and decided that it might not be such a bad time to get me a sibling!

So about a week or two later she was talking to a friend named Ivy, and Ivy said she had gotten a puppy. And then she made the HUUUGE mistake of telling Mom... that there were some left. Her sister's dog had a litter of puppies (I think she said nine but a couple died... poor babies...) that were all looking for homes. Nymeria, the pup, sounded like an awesome dog. 

Obviously my first thought was, no way, I'd have to juggle work, school, Grem, and trying to figure out my next step in life, and a puppy? Hell no. 

And then I put some more thought into it.

Before you could say "woof," I was calculating finances, figuring out vet bills, planning schedules, and Googling puppy toys. I browsed all the puppy stickies on DogForum.com --"just as a reminder for later!"-- and brushed up on training. 

Less than a week later, I mentioned it to Shelley, who seemed fine with the idea. I was set to meet the litter and pick a pup within a week, but things fell through. After several texts exchanged with Ivy's sister, Stormy, I learned that a few other people were interested in pups, and that she would save one for me. At this point, I'm not going to lie: I panicked.

I've never had someone pick an animal out for me. All my pets have been ones that I, personally, chose. Grem was the first to crawl in my lap and nibble my chin. My snake had the coloring and temperament I wanted. My childhood cat was one I lured out from under a neighbor's bed and bonded with, and my second cat was from a litter down the street -- and was my pick. I've never had a pet I didn't choose, and I freaked out and thought about calling it off. 

But, lo and behold, my very famous guilt and strong desire to avoid conflict reared its head, and I stayed silent. I can't say it was a bad choice, but I've caught myself thinking, "I wish I had said something" more times than I care to count. 

I set up a day to hang out with Ivy and another friend, and that day, met up with Stormy and met my pup for the first time. 

I had already brainstormed names, and the two that stuck were Griffin and Ghost. I liked the "G" sound, and it fit well to have some sort of G-creature name to go along with Gremlin. 

He was this tiny little thing, less than ten pounds, and absolutely petrified from the car ride. His claws were like talons since nobody had cut them, and my shoulder was covered in drool in seconds because of his post-car anxiety. He was a breeze to carry and we marched home, stopping a few times on the way for some especially kind people to say hello. One thing I realized with him? Puppies attract people.

I let him down to potty and meet the other dogs, and take pictures, and then scooped him back up and put him down for a nap. Two hours later, he was ready to do a little more investigating... but not much. The yard was too far for him, so he stayed on the porch with me while the big dogs played in the yard. 

Such a tiny boy!

Would you believe me if I told you he's a Pit/Lab/Border Collie X GSD mix?

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Meeting Grem for the first time. Grem was very curious.

Meeting Chip.

Kisses!

Resting on Alice's foot.

Grem was very gentle with him.

Crate yoga! I'm not sure how this is comfortable, but this was his first nap. He can't sleep like this anymore -- he's too big!

Throwback Thursday + House Update

Duuuude! It's been crazy around here! OMG. But before I get into that, what day is it? It's Thursday! That means it's time for... THROWBACK.

So um... when I was really young, Mom, me, and Dog-Grandma lived in a trailer. Trailers are really small if you've never seen one before, but this one was wayyy small. It didn't help that there was crap everywhere, and I mean everywhere. But anyway. I did this thing where sometimes I would just chill on the bottom step by the door. I did it when I was really little, and then I started getting bigger, and finally it turned into... well... this.

Yeaahhh. That's Mom's foot, by the way. 

Thanks. So, on to actual updates... we have another dog in the house. Eek. As if I didn't have my hands full already! Between Chip, Moose, Bronson, and Grem, it's a wonder I haven't pulled out my hair yet. Gah.

Meet Daisy.

Daisy is a Maltese-Poodle mix somewhere between five and eight years old. Her ex-owner, Katie, is one of Shelley's best friends. Katie has had Daisy since she was a puppy, and used to take her for walks, etc. Daisy's missing her right eye because it got infected and had to be removed... and yet, after all that, Katie decided she didn't want her.

Katie mentioned that she might be rehoming Daisy about a month ago. Nobody paid it much attention, but then she brought it up again and, somehow, Daisy became one of Shelley's dogs. She's been here since Friday. 

What really gets me is that Katie doesn't seem to miss her at all. This isn't an "I gave the dog up because I had to" thing. This is an "I don't feel like putting in the effort" thing. Katie still comes over, and it's heartbreaking to watch Daisy jump up and whine and cry in excitement to see her while Katie barely pays her any notice. Daisy followed her outside earlier today and in handing her to me, Katie basically threw her into my arms and I nearly dropped the poor girl. 

She has absolutely no training beyond being house trained. She doesn't know a thing -- not even sit.

Wait, seriously? I've known that since I was a puppy.

Yeah, I know. Katie didn't put any effort in. Daisy also isn't food or toy or praise-motivated. Scrambled eggs seem to be the only thing she'll get excited about for now. 

And then, my own personal rant (feel free to tune it out):

There is absolutely no reason for us to take on another dog. As it stands, I'm the one doing 99% of the activities with the dogs, all of them, including the House Dogs who aren't even mine. I'm the one training, I'm the one walking them, I'm the one making sure they don't go batshit insane in the yard. The last thing I need is another dog to worry about!

That, and I know she won't get the care she deserves. She has some kind of skin problem, and will most likely need some sort of single-protein food since I suspect it's a food allergy. She needs to be groomed. Her teeth are atrocious. Her nails have to be cut. Nobody else is going to do anything about it, so guess who'll have to?

She'd be best off in a home with an older person or couple. She's a total cuddle-bug, a lapdog, and loves attention. She's snuggly and relatively low-maintenance, and as long as she's clipped, she has low grooming requirements. She's small, and she doesn't bark too much anymore. I really wish I could rehome her myself.