Happy memories.
I was not sure if getting a puppy months after my first dog dies was too soon. However, my new puppy reminds me of my first dog daily.
In case it's helpful, below are the topics covered in this post:
Meet Lucy
Lucy, a German Shepard mix puppy, is the newest addition to my family. I adopted her on 16 February 2023 from a local humane society.
Although her adoption paperwork noted her birth date as 20 November 2022, staff at the humane society where I adopted her and our veterinarian believed she was younger. So, let us say she was two months old when I adopted her last month.
I was not sure if getting a puppy months after Shadow, my first dog, died. I initially felt guilty about adopting her, especially when my other dog, Rascal, avoided her like the plague.
However, Lucy's actions and behavior regularly brings back happy memories of Shadow. It may sound stupid after only having her for one month, but sometimes it feels like she was chosen by him to be a part of my life.
I figured I would share a few ways she reminds me of my first dog daily.
Energy Level
I have not been physically active the past three years. Rascal is a low-energy dog who does not require long daily walks. Shadow's joint issues kept his walks very limited.
I adopted Lucy aware that her breed is considered high-energy. I also knew that when I adopted Shadow sixteen years ago. I was/am prepared to adopt a more active lifestyle.
When I took Lucy on her first walks, she wanted to pull and run everywhere. It seemed apparent that she was in fact a high energy dog.
Last week, Lucy stopped pulling and running. She slowed down, stopping often to look around. Sometimes she would lie on the ground to stay in place longer.
It did not take me long to realize that Lucy prefers to sit and enjoy the view rather than walk past all the interesting people and dogs. She will often stop next to a park bench and sit before walking to the next park bench.
Shadow did the same thing when he was a young puppy. Pulling was a problem the first couple months I had him. He also preferred running instead of walking.
By the time Shadow was about four months old, he started to slow down and take in the sights. Like Lucy now, Shadow often stopped next to a park bench and sat before he walked to the next park bench.
Because they were not in a rush to keep moving, it was easy to get them to sit and stay for a photograph. After all, it was a good way for them to enjoy the sights while I was capturing memories on my phone.
Morning Routine
Because Lucy is a young puppy, she needs to go out to potty frequently. For the first few weeks, I tried to get her out every two hours.
This meant I woke frequently during the night to get her outside. The lack of sleep was worth avoiding potential messes in the house. It also helped her become potty trained faster than if I let her use a potty pad.
Lucy would wake me when she needed to go out during the night with 5 a.m. being the time I got up for the day. I always felt tired since I was not used to getting up for a couple more hours prior to adopting her, but I was happy to do it for her. In case you were wondering, Rascal does not normally get out of bed until around 9 a.m.
On the sixth or seventh night, she did not wake me at 5 a.m. Instead, Lucy went to my Dad's room and asked him to let her out. I slept in until around 8 a.m. that morning unaware that she had left my bedroom.
When I woke and noticed the time, I figured she made several messes in the house. My Dad has insomnia and would have noticed it before me, so I was prepared to apologize profusely to him.
I left my room to see Dad cuddling with Lucy on the couch. He was choked up and spoke softly. Dad admitted that the morning was emotionally difficult for him.
Why?
Shadow used to ask Dad to let him out around 5 a.m. each morning. They would then spend quality time together walking around the house, eating an early breakfast, and watching TV until I woke up. They were very close.
When Shadow died last November, Dad believed their morning routine was over. Unbeknownst to him, he would continue that morning routine with Lucy.
At random times during the night, Lucy would check on Dad by licking his face and returning to my room after Dad petted or hugged her. This was also something Shadow did until he died.
Obsession with My Other Dog
Lucy is obsessed with Rascal. From the day she came home, Lucy tried desperately to be accepted by Rascal. At first, Rascal wanted nothing to do with her.
She would bring him gifts, try to initiate a play session, and lick his face. Rascal would growl and walk away.
During the second week Lucy was with us, Rascal developed a severe allergy that had him reverse sneezing frequently. We stopped walking because he could not go further than a few steps before having a sneezing fit.
When Rascal felt unwell, Lucy tried to comfort him. She would bring him gifts, lick his face, and pat him on the head. If Rascal was wrapped in a blanket, Lucy would try to tuck him in even more.
When I adopted Rascal almost eight years ago, Shadow was obsessed with him. Shadow would bring Rascal gifts, try to initiate a play session, and lick his face. If Rascal was wrapped in a blanket, Shadow would try to tuck him in even more.
Rascal loved the attention he received from Shadow. They were instant friends and did everything together. I used to do some things with each of them individually, but Shadow and Rascal eventually got to the point where they refused to go anywhere or do anything without the other.
Rascal and Lucy are not as close as Rascal and Shadow were. However, Rascal is starting to tolerate her. He likes her, but he does not like her energy level when she gets playful or throws a puppy temper tantrum.
Yesterday, Rascal and Lucy rough housed the way Rascal and Shadow used to rough house. In fact, the last time the boys played this way was hours before Shadow died.
After Rascal and Lucy played in the backyard, Rascal had this huge smile on his face. It has been months since I saw him so happy.
Today, Rascal tolerates Lucy despite her obsession for him. However, I choose to believe that their relationship will continue to grow, especially when she gets past the teething phase.
What's Next?
I will share Rascal and Lucy’s adoption stories in the coming weeks. I hope to have one of the stories ready for National Puppy Day on March 23rd.
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Thanks, and have a great day!
Simply Jelly Jam
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