Introducing.... Dougall

This is the 6th and final installment to our Family.

The girls have been asking (begging!) for a dog for at least a year...at least! Anyhow, the stipulation was that everyone was toilet trained, which we have been for a couple of months now - so finally time to deliver the promise and reward! Dougall is 6 months old next week and looks very much like a short-legged-wire-coat Parsons Jack Russell. I had a pedigree long legged smooth coat so I see a lot of similarities. He was dumped at the pound at 15 weeks with his two brothers - the animal shelter seems to think the previous owners tried to breed and sell unsuccessfully and then couldn't handle the vet bills, because our little Dougall had very bad worms when they got him.

He's dexed now and healthy boy! Very placid for a JR though. Seems house trained but I'll reserve judgement for the next couple of days.... kids adore him and he was very tolerant with all their pats today, didn't really bat an eyelid! He's attached himself to me as the pack leader and Hubby's gone off to the Rugby tonight so when the kids were coming out for frequent trips out of bed for various reasons trying to disguise the fact they wanted to hang out with Dougall, I roused on them and told them to go back to bed a couple of times, and then he started to do joke growls by my side then Laura tried to sneak in and he caught her, growled, and came running to me to dob !

Anyhoo, very cute, I didn't think I'd get another JR after Leroy (somehow felt like I was trying to *replace* him) but seeing him there today I think it was meant to be, he chose us... and that's the way it should be. Oh, and a very cute moment before bedtime, Laura sang twinkle twinkle little star very softly to send him to sleep.. very sweet. (pic below)

Overtired from many, many pats!

Puppy love

For the longest time I haven't really been super-open to the idea of getting a family dog? Why? Because I suppose in my own way it would be like I would be replacing Leroy (aka fleaboy) my Jack Russell Terrier who passed away 4.5 years ago.

Leroy was my first baby. I got him with my ex back in 96. I lived in Sydney and Ex was moved to Canberra with the Navy so the assumption was there that I would move too... We went to Kelston Kennels at Bowral and he ran straight to me. I would travel to Canberra every weekend after work on the bus and hang out with fleaboy.. I think he was the final pull to Canberra thinking back, and some time later I thought I'd made a mistake.

Within 6 months of my arrival ex became the ex. I moved out and took Leroy with me as obviously that seemed the most sensible option as my job wouldn't send me to sea for months on end. After some initial disagreement (well not in my eyes the deal was done) Leroy and I moved into 'our pad'. I couldn't at that stage afford to move back to Sydney and rent a house that could contain a dog... so I stayed put thinking obviously fate had landed me there for some reason. That reason it turned out was I met my hubby.

Leroy and I came back to Sydney in May 1999, when the Canberra job market and life overall had nothing to offer me, and initially Leroy stayed with my Mum and Dad and their dog whilst I found a job, a flat and got my life back. Took 3 months.

Moved into our glorious semi in Fairlight where we stayed for the next 7.5 years. Leroy was my best mate, the *person* I came home to. The first part of *our family* with hubby. He passed away when Eloise was 4 months old from Addisons disease.

So, getting back to it, now I feel I'm ready to get a dog, it looks like I might be home to housetrain one and the kids will be home to give it all the attention it needs. But hubby after bein gon the puppy campaign for ages (the girls are desperate for one, even cry about neeeeding a dog and play games with one of them being the puppy every other day)... when I saw a beautiful dog in the doggie rescue site which is seriously 10 mins from our house - he said... no. In fact he said 'no. stop looking'.

I suppose expense comes into it (cost of the dog, kennel, food) and the possibility we may need to move to get ahead financially... but meh.. we could do it. The girls would love it. I'm ready for it.

Looks like I remain on the puppy campaign...

Hello Cocky!

Well until we get a dog (which won't be until at least everyone is toilet trained!) These are our stand ins! I came out to the kitchen this morning to find this! A lot of them eat out of our hand and despite what people say, they aren't wrecking the joint! We are starting to recognise a few now and they come about 2-3 times a day and love to perch themselves on our deck or the big jacaranda tree!