A new addition...........
a) placating a five year old who isn't keen on sharing his toys
b) using eyes in the back of my head to make sure that the "new addition" was where he should be and not where he shouldn't be
c) trying to second guess signals - is he hungry? Does he need to pee? Can he understand what I am saying
d) listening to others who are keen to give advice - however the often conflicting advice has made things even more difficult to points where I have felt completely impotent and deskilled.
Needless to say I have spent the last three weeks exhausted, guilty, frustrated, anxious and constantly checking for reassurance. Questions constantly run through my mind:
a) are we being fair to the 5 year old?
b) have we done the right thing?
c) will we ever be able to leave the house together as a couple ever again?
They tell me that this is exactly what mothers of new babies go through - I wouldn't know - our new addition is a dog (as is the five year old!).
His name is Skip, he is a twelve month old Staffy and is a rescue dog from the local Dogs Home. Whilst we have discussed getting another dog for about a year now, and always come to the conclusion that we do not have the space, the time, the energy to committ to another dog - but we went and got one anyway.
So far he has learned his name, learned to sit for food/treats and mostly learned to ask to go outside for necessary functions. He has added scratches to the front door started by our other dog, jumped the wall of the front garden into the main road (:-0) and disgruntled many of the wild birds who come every morning to be fed (mostly by eating the food I put out). Apart from that he is one of the most good natured, placid and loving dogs I have known -and I predict will be a great addition to our pack!
Watch this space!!
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