Pupdate

Winston the labrador cross has joined our family, and so far its all going swimmingly. He is going to be a very big dog judging by his paws, but he has a lovely temperament so we will just have to take him as he is. As I type on the laptop he is lying by my feet on his bed, (in fact partly on and partly off it), and he's just done a puppy fart. Life is very different.

Yesterday was pickup day. The boys and I were going to drive out to the country after Marcus' soccer match, but Melissa the breeder needed to come into town, so we actually picked up Winston at Salamanca Market.

I felt very strange walking off with a big puppy on a lead, through the crowds at Salamanca, with him tripping me up every third step. We actually had to take him in a lift to get back to where I'd left the car, so his introduction to city life was not exactly gentle. We've been lent a harness thing, but with the wriggly boy in hand I couldn't work it all out, so I popped him in the cat carrier instead, squeezed between the boys.

We brought him straight home, shut the gate and let him out. He was a little slow to emerge from his crate but he eventually snudged out. I had him on the lead for the first few hours so that if Hattie showed up I would be in control of the situation. She duly met us at the front door, sized up the situation, arched her back a bit then left at a dignified trot. Winston didn't seem particularly interested in her, and hasn't since either.

Imp and Ed and the girls, the neighbour kids and other kids we don't even know have all been traipsing through to admire the pup. He's been very good with everyone, except for a slight tendency to gnaw people's shoes. He loves his bed and is very keen to head for it whenever he's inside. He has not yet gone looking for trouble, which is terrific.

Last night we put his bed in the bathroom and shut him in. He whimpered and yowled for about fifteen minutes then just fell asleep. He woke up to poo and wee on the floor, near where we put the the special puppy training pad. That was OK though, its the easiest room to clean, and the same will likely happen tonight. If we get practically a full night's sleep again we'll be happy. Yesterday we had a bit of a messy time indoors but today after a wee on the floor this morning he has been taking himself outside. Luckily the weather has been superb all weekend so we have been able to leave a door open and spend lots of time trotting him about the garden.

He is sleeping a lot. We took him for a little walk this morning, just up to the park, then off the lead for a flip-flop around. He looks so funny when he runs, like he's about to trip over his ears any moment. The feet are terribly, terribly big. Anyway, it was the first walk of his life, and I had to carry him home, then he slept in the sun on the lawn for an hour or so, occasionally prodded by slightly disappointed neighbour children.

Our kids have been enjoying him a lot. In his energetic periods he happily chases Michael around and around the trampoline. Marcus is extremely keen to train him, totally, now.