Day 2 - Up and Atom!

So it’s 12.15 and we’re already two walks down. Pip is now sleeping soundly in his kennel – yay! I wasn’t sure if he’d take to the kennel – it came from another dog – but perhaps in the dog-world this is a good thing. Also, so far, he’s only slept in his crate – and he will, eventually, grow out of his crate. So taking to the kennel is definitely a good thing. But I’m wondering if the sleeping during the day is a good thing. Is he like a baby? If he sleeps too much during the day will his rhythms be all messed up? Will he be up howling half the night? I guess time will tell.

Last night, I slept lightly, expecting him to start whimpering or being distressed in some way. Of course, I wouldn’t have got up to him. He is after all just a dog, not a baby. But I was kind of anxious on his behalf. He was fine!

Day One - A Pup Called Pip

After months of dreaming and pining, today was the day I finally got myself a puppy. Since moving to Ocean Grove in January last year, I have felt my doglessness sorely. Dogs are a far more common accessory for locals on the beach than a bikini.

Dogs in my life have been divided into two categories – Penelope dogs and Killer Dogs. Penelope was my childhood dog – a border collie/sheepdog cross. She lived until she was 17 – and I was 16. She was a beautiful docile dog and I remember more than once crying into her downy fur when no one else understood my adolescent angst.