New addition to the family!

We have a new addition to the family!!! A 2 month old German Shepherd/Black Lab mix puppy named Brandy! Her birthday is on July 3rd! Ahhhh too many things happened on that day for sure! She is absolutely adorable! Quite smart for a little baby. As you know, potty training is the hardest thing to do, and she is getting the hang of it... outside = potty. Slowly but surely! Anyway, the story? Well... Nikki has been begging and begging for a dog ever since our dog Lucky the large chihuahua died. But... as soon as we moved to VA, the begging became worse! At first, my excuse was that we rented a house and the landlord did not allow pets, so she backed off.... until.... we bought a house. She says things like "you promised, mom! when? oh please please please! I'll be responsible! mom!!!! oh hey I saw a cute dog at the pet store, can we can we??" etc etc... I hear that over and over... I was planning to get one last spring during spring break, but my tax money fell apart so we did not. She was so upset. Then one day, Tuesday Sepetember 3rd, I go to lunch and decided to walk in the pet store. This puppy won my heart, so I asked questions, and then went back to work... pondered... should I? Can I? Then I thought, I know I can... having someone to love and love you back is a worthy investment. My daughter has only 4 more years with me, and I have always wanted her to have a childhood dog. I did, so I want her to have that too. It is a really wonderful thing for a teen, having someone to take care of! So... time is ticking and here Brandy is! (about the name... well.... we argued about the name all night that night... finally I accepted the name and decided her sign-name is ALCOHOL. See that sign in the pictures? THAT!)


Anyway, the day I got her, she was exactly 2 months old! Right now she is in her crate sleeping away. Boy at night she cries so much. I am hoping the Kong toy with peanut butter will help her start to like her crate! Poor Nikki listening to her bark and whine at night, and I have no clue what she is doing down there! Yesterday I had a scare... I came home for lunch and found her crate in a holy mess, so I cleaned it up and ended up without lunch (I was still on the clock!). Then when I looked outside to make sure she was still hooked on the leash... I got scared because her harness was empty! She got herself loose and was nowhere to be found! Then I started calling her name... nothing. Again... nothing... and then suddenly that little black floppy eared thing starts running to me. She did not escape! WHEW!!!! I so do not need that emotion!

Anyway, then I took her to the vet for her free visit. The vet was very helpful, patiently answering all of my questions about sleeping, feeding, potty training, tidbits on helping her accept separation (yeah, right now she is like a lil baby who does not want to be away from her mommy!!) Now I feel better... I'm gonna do what I can to tackle that potty training! Then I am going to attempt to teach her to be a "hearing dog" to me and teach her signs. I cannot promise that I can teach her tricks but I will try. The only training experience I have had was teaching a dog signs and potty training. This will be a challenge, but my daughter will have to help! Anyway, I am now going to attempt to bring Brandy outside in the lovely rain from Hanna and hope she does not fear rain! Toodles!

FIRST BATH!!! :)

She might end up looking like a German Shepherd... see that face?

Ahh Brandy!