If puppies weren't so cute - there'd be no excuse

Having a new puppy in the house is a bit overwhelming. There's so very much I have to teach Teddy and it seems like I'm already six months behind - even though he's only 12 weeks old! Until this year, we hadn't had a puppy in the house in the last five. But it's all, slowly, coming back - all the do's and dont's.
Don't leave any paper on the floor.
Don't leave any shoes on the floor.
Don't leave ANYTHING on the floor.
Don't leave the room without securing the puppy.
Don't lean out the door to get the mail without knowing where the puppy is.
Don't try to get anything done quickly, which goes along with:
Don't step on the puppy.
and the most important:
Do enjoy the puppy!

Too cute for work

It's hard to get much work done with the pups being so cute in the office. Tango (Brussels Griffon) and Teddy (French Bulldog) are play machines!

I'd forgotten...

how much work it is to train a puppy. And how exhausted you get after constantly being on the watch when he gets into something he shouldn't. Tango has his leash on today out of his crate. He'd been an angel all week in his crate so it was time to let him explore a little. But of course any time he's out of sight I have to make sure he's not getting in trouble. He's been pretty good about not barking at every noise today. And it's so much fun filling orders and putting new stock away with Tango "helping." But the thing that Tango most wants to do, aside from climb into my lap (not gonna happen at my desk, little guy!) is play in the ring with his Froggie (Bow Wow Beanies Legs). One day soon there'll be pictures, but for now I'm just having too much fun watching little Tango run around squeaking his Froggie. - Fran

Why do we bother?

A few months ago a neighbor kid asked me to help in her quest for a puppy. The girl is about 11 and her parents are immigrants. Wonderful people, from a culture not known for keeping pet dogs.
I thought I'd done a pretty good job educating and encouraging. I gave her all the right websites too look at, lists of books to read, rescue organizations to contact, training resources, etc. I answered all of her questions, helped however I could.
I did manage to convince her that a Great Dane probably wasn't the best choice for a tiny girl who'd never had a dog before. And that the internet site with the adorable puppies for sale was a very slick front for a horrid puppy mill. I emphasized the right way to get a dog - avoid the puppy mill outlets, the backyard breeders, etc. I truly thought we were on the right track, that we'd find the perfect dog to fulfill the family's puppy lust.
In all honesty, I thought my efforts were probably a waste of time - I didn't think her parents would ever let her get a dog.
Last Friday they bought a 9-week old Husky from a local pet store - a very slick-looking vendor of puppy-mill products.
What can I say? You shouldn't have? Didn't I tell you not to? Woulda, coulda, shoulda. Sigh.