Sunday, January 04, 2015

Cats, Dogs, and Fiber

I have said this before but I am horrible with keeping up with writing stuff.  Since the last time I was on here I have knitted a few things, spun a bunch of yarn, hung out with my cats, adopted a puppy, and moved.  I was looking in to adopting a dog but wasn't sure what my time frame would be.  I wanted a rescue and finally decided that when one comes along I would know it.  I went into Petsmart for cat items and saw him with a rescue group for adoption.  I was one of those saps that fell in love with his adorable puppy eyes.  I cant be sure but I swear I stayed there for two hours playing with him and talking to the rescue group.  He was eight weeks old and they received him that morning from a kill shelter in Alabama.  He still had a few weeks before he was available for adoption.

Well a few weeks later I was heading to the Joann's, which happens to be next to the Petsmart, to look for yarn for some fingerless mittens.  I was not expecting the parting lot to have a huge tent with multiple rescue groups on site for National Pet Adoption Day.  As I walked by "my puppy" caught my eye and I knew it was meant to be.  They were still setting up so we played and I made sure no one walking by got any ideas to adopt him.  After all the paperwork we took our first trip, which happened to be 20 yards away to the Petsmart to pick out a collar and leash.  This was his first time with a collar or on a leash.  Needless to say he was a little confused with the whole idea of walking on a leash.  Wahile we were trying the different items he kept trying to wedge himself under all the ladies legs.  Once he got tired of all of the attention those big eyes and floppy ears was getting he sat down...but not on the floor.  That would be to normal.  This puppy decided he would use the lower shelf as a chair.  The employees got a hoot out of his antics.  We made our way to the car to take our first visit to Kelly's house and to meet her puppy, Lucy.  My puppy enjoyed meeting Lucy who was 18 months old and her neighbors puppy, Atlas.  While those dogs were playing my puppy was army crawling around and licking their noses.  At this time my new puppy was nameless.  There were a few options that we were thinking about but nothing set in stone.  The two main contenders were Apollo and Klaus.  After his play time Kelly and I took him to Petco for more puppy supplies.  As I was informed he LOVES his toys so he needed a bunch of them.

After all of this running around the puppy and I made our way home.  He pasted out on the way.  Once we were home, we snuck in and found Mister taking a nap.  I put the puppy on the bed to surprise the Mister.  He woke up with a puppy in his face and could only say hey there little puppy....or something along that line.  So we let him finish his nap while we introduced him to the cats.  The cats were not impressed with the new residence and did not want anything to do with him or his antics.


Starting that day we began working on walking on a leash around the apartment complex.  He saw his first duck that day and loved watching them.  He even tried to army crawl to them; however, he was not stealthy enough and the ducks few off.  I do have to admit that I was a little nervous when I saw a hawk near us.  This puppy was not small but in my mind he was super small.  I am now laughing at what though after having him a month and a half and watching him grown.  Within that month an a half there has been some training, lots of laughs, and lots of learning on my part.

After a few nights of having the pup free roam the house, I decided that he needed his own space.  I started the search for a crate on Craig's List.  After a week or so I found the largest crate I have seen.  Honestly, I could sleep in this thing.  Luckily it had a divider so this little puppy wouldn't get lost in this monstrosity.  I think the Mister had more issues with the crate (AKA Dog Jail) than the pup.  After a week we decided on the name of Klaus.  That was a hard one since I started to think he looked more like a Leo.  But Klaus it is.

To this date we have had only a few causalities to the puppy:

  • iPhone charger
  • Samsung tablet charger
  • Circular knitting needle which had a pair of socks on it!!
  • Balls of yarn that have gotten slobbery from him grabbing them
  • A tree...yes he has taken down a tree.  A small tree but a tree none the less.  It is about 8 feet high, or long now, and about 2 diameters at the base.
  • Lastly he got a hold of the couch
The couch is the biggest thing so far.  I have to admit it is all the Misters fault.  ALL OF IT.  We removed the cushion covers for washing and piled up the cushions on top of the crate before I went to bed.  Klaus got put in his crate and was settled down for the night.  I guess sometime that night the Mister felt that Klaus didn't want to be in "Doggy Jail" and let him out.  Then left the room.  I know what you all are thinking.  A puppy now about 4 months who has just starting teething old left alone in a room.  Klaus very quietly played with some toys and then jumped on the couch and found out how fun it was to gnaw on the fabric.  I got an early morning wake up call around 2 or 3 am showing me what My Dog did to the couch.  Rest assured the couch is still intact.  If anyone lifts up the cushion they will find around five holes that range from 3 inches to less than an inch in diameter.  All I can say is that it could have been worse.  Klaus spent the rest of the night sleeping in his crate.