Seeking...

...a home for one cute and loveable 8 - 9 month old pup!

If you recall, this summer we had a gentleman show up with two pups on our doorstep and offered us the bargain of the century: “If you all give me ten dollah – I’ll give you them dawgs.” Realizing that their fates were not very bright given he was willing to sell them to the first person open to giving him ten dollars – we kept them, with the idea of taking them to a shelter. However, the children all prevailed on me to keep BOTH puppies. (Post of July 26^th )

Foolishly I agreed and, at first, things were going very well. We had them vaccinated, I started their training and, in fact, the vet’s office was very impressed with their obedience. Then I got sick. Very sick this summer, and was almost blind for two weeks from an eye infection that was followed by a very severe sinus infection. All training came to halt. By the time I was well enough to pick it up again - they were wildly out of control and walking the kids. Or maybe I could even say, taking the kids for a run as opposed to being walked by the kids.

Still, we struggled along, precariously balancing chores, school work and the business with the dogs getting the short end of the stick. Finally, last night we held a family counsel and a vote was taken. (Much like in the original Cheaper by the Dozen, only Hugo was sitting behind a laptop, instead of a small desk.) The end result is that Zack will be put up for adoption as he is the most hyper and difficult to control in the house. He is a good dog and well deserving of a good home. But with time so tight and spare minutes rare in deed, what time we do have for training must be spent with the dog that is most responsive and easiest to train. That would be Ares and Finnegan - also still very much a puppy.

We also need scary looking dogs given the neighbourhood we live in, and Ares fills that description very well. Zack and Finnegan don’t. So when the pluses and minuses were added up, Zack just was not in the lead. It is a hard decision to make – but it is the best for all concerned because if we were to keep all three – no one is going to get trained and life will just get more and more difficult as these pups continue into adulthood, wild and out of control.

So I would like to ask you all to pray for us as we advertise for a new home for Zack. Also, if anyone is close enough to North Carolina to consider adopting Zack themselves or if you know someone who might like a happy, bouncy, cute dog who knows how to SIT on command and WAIT when you open his kennel door and is learning to WAIT so the person on the other end of his leash can enter the door of the house first, please send them to mum2twelve@yahoo.com and we can chat!

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The Joys of Having a Big Brother

Last week Miguel was getting ready to slip over to the gas station and pick up a snack for himself. Emma noticed the movement and eager not to miss a chance to visit Amit, the stations owner she dashed over dragging a sweater behind her.

“Peeease – can I tum Guel? Peeeease?”

Miguel looked at me.

“Okay,” I said, “But NO candy. Absolutely not one piece. Understand Emma?”

A little crest fallen, she nodded and Miguel flashed me a quick grin. “NOT one, Miguel!”, I admonished. He too nodded.

The door closed and there was short respite of arguing and haggling between Emma and Nathaniel and I kept working on the laptop. All too soon the door opened and Emma pranced in brandishing a bottle of juice and a little bag of chips.

Miguel grinned sheepishly at me. “Well,” he said, “ I didn’t buy her any candy, even though she couldn’t take her eyes off the shelves of it. She walked down the isles with her little hands clasped together, her eyes fixed on all the candy and did not even ask for a single piece. I just HAD to buy her something!”

The joys of having a big brother!

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