Almost Time
Today we put up the baby gate and placed the socket plugs in the sockets. We also made the discovery that the hooks I got for the cupboards are pretty much unuseable, especially if you keep your trash under the sink like we do. New plan: Get a tall bucket and put the cleaning supplies in that, and put it at the back of the cupboard. Sigh.
I was out at a coworker's house last night, stress testing my lungs one more time. Coworker has two dachshunds--one regular, one wire-haired--and my OTHER coworker brought her aussie shepherd along to play with them. So we sat around in their kitchen playing with the puppies. Seem to be mostly okay, despite the fact that I got my allergy shots that morning, and I'm always a little extra vulnerable those days, it seems. (For those who don't know, allergy shots don't attack the symptoms...instead they shoot you up with EVEN MORE allergens. This is why it's important to control the amount of allergens I'm exposed to the rest of the time. Dust filters, mite covers, mite sprays, and so on. And there's the daily antihistimine too.) I keep trying to remind myself that all my stress tests have included multiple animals and one animal shouldn't produce even nearly as much dander. We're keeping her in the kitchen (tile floor) and she's got a covered plastic crate too, which should also reduce dander. And Anathema is restricted to only the front part of the house....can't come in the office for quite some time, and will never be allowed in the bedroom.
Anyways, she comes home tomorrow. I'm a little nervous: first time puppy mama as an adult. Worried that the allergies will kick up after all. Worried that we'll accidentally forget something and find her chewing a tube of paint or impaling herself on a Warhammer figurine by mistake. Worried that she'll be unable to adjust.....trying to tell myself that we did our homework and planned for contingencies. It should be okay, right?
This is my last night as a puppy-less woman. Tomorrow my husband and I expand the family by one. Wish us luck!
Comment
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Comment by Elizabeth Mitchell on May 20, 2011 at 2:07pm
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@John: We'll start off keeping her in the kitchen, which has several advantages in that it's relatively easy to puppy-proof for us and the tile floor is easier to clean. (Our garbage is currently under the sink, but we're contemplating moving to a taller, heavier lidded can.) The Venetian blinds would be at the far side of the living room and she won't be allowed over there initially. (But we'll certainly see about getting a hook to loop them on.)
Thanks for the info on the toys, notebook and go pack. :)
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Comment by John Wolff on May 20, 2011 at 12:39pm
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Form the habit of slicing off a bottom corner of snack bags etc.
We came home once to find poor Siri with her head stuck in a potato chip bag, luckily the stiffer kind, no asphyxiation.
A main thing is keeping the garbage and cat box safe.
Venetian blind cords can be fatal to pets and children.
Al & Gwynn recommend Nike Jr. 7-8" dia. childrens' basketball, else an old soccer ball (whose cover will eventually be removed). Do you have enough tennis balls? Half-a-dozen should be enough to start with. Gwynnie recommends the Zaneys stuffed toys (we have a collection of dismembered Zaney heads).
Carrie Hale in Bellevue/Issaquah has a new litter; we're going to go squeeze some puppies in June -- just window-shopping but will be fun.
I would get a notebook and keep a training log/calendar. List all commands/vocabulary. Read up on the "Really Reliable Recall" (Emergency Recall); we had success with that without too much effort.
I find a dedicated fanny pack indispensable, with an airtight screw-cap cannister (like a pill bottle) for training treats, bags, poop, phone, coffee money, etc.
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Thanks for the good wishes, folks.
@Cindi and Twinkie: It's funny you should say that. I bought What To Expect BEFORE You Are Expecting a few weeks before getting our book on raising a puppy. I guess I'm one of those people who thinks everything can be solved with a little more reading. :)
@Kasey, Max, Zoey: I think we had a pretty cohesive list which we purchased last week. But we do live near a Mud Bay pet store and also just down the street from a Dog Bakery! (The Mud Bay store is next to one of the local dog off-leash areas.) Hopefully everything will go smoothly. And I'm glad to hear that the schedule is kicking in. I bet that makes it easier. :)
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Comment by Roger/Laurie on May 20, 2011 at 10:05am
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Happy new puppy!
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Comment by Yuki & Ellie on May 20, 2011 at 6:55am
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Good luck and enjoy your new puppy!
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Comment by Cindi & Twinkie on May 20, 2011 at 5:41am
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Good luck! Its sounds like you have put more thought into bringing your pup home than some people do when they are having a baby. Please keep up posted. Pictures!
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Comment by Kasey, Max, & Zoey on May 20, 2011 at 4:02am
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MUCH LUCK! We brought a new one home last week! It's been a rough first week but she seems to have the schedule down now and she now knows that we are right next to her kennel in the morning so she doesn't wake up crying. They are so smart and such little blessings! You'll be fine! Hopefully there is a pet store near by. Can't tell you how many times we had to make a run to the pet store last weekend. You'll find out what else you need as you go along. And as long as you keep a watchful eye on her when you can nothing bad will happen to her. Relax and enjoy your new baby =) its so worth it.
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