As some of our good RVer friends the Quinns say, “Go large or go home!”
Charlie and I have been talking about adding another dog to our “pack” for about a year. The idea was to get a puppy (“a baby for Booger”) who can hang with our dogs, learn the rules of the road, keep Booger and JayJay “young” as they age, and serve as a replacement when the sad day comes when one of the older dogs is no longer with us.
Call us idiots, but we figure, “in for a dime, in for a dollar!”; i.e. how much more trouble can it be to take care of three dogs when you’ve already got two? One problem, though: Our HOA only allows two dogs per household. But, I’ve yet to see any Dog Limit Police searching houses in Bear Creek, and I personally know of one lady (the one who heads the Boston Buddies rescue organization) who has seven dogs at her estate home. So, WTF…
Grandson Craig and I made a 300-mile trip on Saturday to check out a litter of puppies in Merced, California. The breeder had three left, but one was promised to a couple who was coming over later that day. Craig and I got to pick between a male and female 10 week-old Boston Terrier puppies. Most Bostons are black and white (like Booger and JayJay), some are “Reds” (brownish red and white), some are “Brindle” (brownish color with black swirls and white), and very few others are what they call “Blues”, in which the dark colors on the dog are a bluish gray. The Merced litter consisted of five Blues. We saw the proud Mom, and she was a Blue.
Both the male and female were cool looking, but the female was the most animated. And, besides, Charlie said to take a female if we had a choice. So, we picked the girl, whose temporary name was “Ramona”.
What a sweetheart she is! She endured the 6-1/2 hour drive back to Murrieta without peeing, pooing, or vomiting while sitting in Craig’s lap. Didn’t whine or cry, despite the fact that she was being taken from her Mommy…forever.
Needless to say, Charlie fell in love as soon as she saw her, and a name was agreed upon ASAP: “Baby”, because she will be the baby that Booger never had.
Of course, Booger and JayJay were very interested in this interloper, and spent the evening sniffing and snorting while checking out Baby’s gear and orifices. It soon became evident (predictable!) that JayJay wasn’t over the moon about his new sister, probably figuring that the pie would now be divided into THREE parts. Booger, on the other hand, was very taken by her new sister/daughter, and it didn’t take too long (24 hours) before they were hanging out together and playing.
Baby had an eventful 48 hours. She had a few “accidents” around the house and in her bed, so Charlie and I were kept busy wiping and cleaning and washing. But, that’s all part of the deal.
What’s been very interesting is how quickly Baby and Booger have picked up playing with toys, particularly balls. Booger seems to really enjoy having someone who will mix it up with her. Baby is feisty and persistent. The two of them are going to have many good times together, although Baby’s energy level is so strong that occasionally Booger avoids her by seeking high ground.
And, Jay Jay is beginning to warm to Baby. In the beginning, he would distance himself from her, but after a few days he is now hanging out with her, and even lets her sniff and munch on him, even though he growls (in the same way that he does when he plays with Booger).
Baby has found her forever home!