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Even though I've considered this for a long time, many years, as has Kirby, I'm still just a ball of nerves. If I get this nervous about fostering a dog I'm not sure I'm ready to bring a baby into our family! Geez! Will Rocky like her? Will they get along? Will it hurt his feelings? Will I love another dog as much as I love Rocky? You see, Rocky and I bonded from the first time we met and even after just a weekend at home I kind of felt like he was my dog. I didn't think twice when I offered to take him when my parents were going to give him up, and I insisted I was ready to take care of him when they didn't believe I could. I was, and seven years later he's still one of the best things that ever happened to me. I am just afraid that his feelings will be hurt, which I know from watching Cesar Milan, is stupid, but I can't help but be apprehensive given my own feelings as an only child.
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Sunday came, and after our discussion Saturday night, I couldn't bring myself to foster. Even though other people wanted this particular puppy I found Saturday, which would have given us the opportunity to foster another dog, I still felt like this was the dog meant for us. I went Sunday to officially adopt our new puppy-baby, which we named Adrian. She is a chihuahua-corgi mix, and is so very tiny. I also didn't really want a puppy, but again, I just felt like I was called to adopt this particular dog, so I did.
Sunday was a busy day, introducing her to Kirby first then bringing her home to meet Rocky. She did really well, and Rocky did surprisingly well too. He didn't even get the least bit aggressive and took to her right away. She was a bit more wary. A little shy and skittish, she takes a while to warm up to people and other dogs.
This week has been very interesting. I've never housebroken a puppy before and we seemed to have good luck at first only to have her completely revert to not going outside and always going inside. We've made more progress now that we are at the end of the week, but we still have a way to go with that. I managed to teach her the "sit" command, and we are working on "wait." I plan to work with her quite a bit this weekend on a few other commands. She has learned from watching Rocky on how to behave while we are eating. She is so small we will have to be careful with how much she eats, but I haven't been able to resist letting her try different things for the first time like bacon, pizza and steak. Having been born and raised in a shelter so far I know that she hasn't had much exposure to good food!
She's taken well to her new items, including her new bed at the shop. She does seem genuinely happy to have things and a family. Sunday night she made herself right at home in the bed and insisted on sleeping right next to me, curled up in my chest, and that hasn't changed. She's attached to me like glue but is getting braver at the shop and at the house and will explore a little more before running back to me. At first I couldn't get her more than two feet from me. She's also warmed up to Kirby, which took the better part of the week but I'm glad they are finally bonding. Kirby seemed a bit indecisive about her until she was paying more attention to him on her own.
Its been a long road with Rocky, and we've had ups and downs. He's been a challenge, but he's helped me grow as a person and he's been there for me when I didn't have anyone else. There's never been a day when I've regretted having him. The way he loves Kirby, and Kirby loves him back, is so sweet and endearing it makes me tear up to think about it. Even though I joke about him being more Kirby's dog now he's still my one and only and first puppy, and I would physically harm someone if they tried to hurt him or take him away. And I'm not joking. I'm not sure that I will ever love another dog as much, or the same, as I do Rocky and that is fine. Rocky can't be the only "baby" we ever have, though, and I wanted him to have a "sister" before he got much older. Though the majority of my time and attention has been paid to Adrian this week out of necessity, he is still my first and most important baby.
After one week with the new little one things are going better. She's getting the hang of going outside, and of our routine around here, if she's not getting the hang of sleeping until we are ready to get up. That's what crates are for! We've been watching Sony this week, as well, and she's warming up to the other dogs and even starting to play with them a little. Yesterday I had a migraine and both Rocky and Adrian layed with me on the couch while I rested and recovered. That was the best medicine and gift I could have asked for. It is also giving us an excellent sneak peek at what having a baby might be like in our hectic lives, and the division of labor isn't shaking out the way I'd prefer, but getting the dog was 98% my choice, whereas having a baby would be a joint decision. Watching "Bethenny Getting Married?" last night her husband Jason said, "I want to change the first diaper." That was the most romantic thing I've ever heard a man say...something that maybe, one day, I'll be lucky enough to hear myself! :)
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