Puppy love has its problems
IT HAS been a long time between puppies in our house.
Six years is sufficient time to forget exactly how naughty they can be and how much work they are.
When we got Alfie six years ago, the children were aged 11, 8 and 5. We drove to Bendigo to collect him on a hot day in January. When I think back, he was a naughty puppy.
I remember the years of him stealing food, underwear, socks, bras and shoes then bolting into the back yard and refusing to give the item back without a serious chase.
Alfie ate everything. He consumed all of the nonmetal parts of an exercise bike that was on our back deck and the 2m mat that was underneath it.
He nibbled the weatherboards down the side of our house, such that they had to be replaced in preparation for a repaint.
He opened the bin and then swallowed two-and-a-half corn cobs resulting in him having major abdominal surgery.
Remembering his antics, we should have been prepared for Betsy, particularly when the breeder warned us that she was “very inquisitive” and “had plenty of sass about her”.
The problem with puppies is that they are so disarmingly adorable that one look or cuddle or lick on the face and no matter what crime they have committed, you can’t possibly be cranky.
I thought this time would be easier as the children are much older, have had lots of experience with a big, boisterous dog and would be able to share some of the load in terms of feeding, teaching and maintaining order.
While the children have been great in all of these ways, and we are experienced airedale owners with a high tolerance for naughty, we have been seemingly outplayed by Betsy.
Betsy believes in the strongest way possible that she has an “access all areas” pass to our house. When I say “all areas”, I mean “all areas”.
Betsy waited until one of the kids was washing the shampoo out of their hair before entering, not only the bathroom, but the shower.
All of a sudden there was yelling coming from the bathroom and by the time I arrived to see what was going on, Betsy shot out of the bathroom sopping wet and covered in splotches of shampoo.
It was hilarious for everyone other than the person taking the shower until, of course, every other person has experienced the same unwelcome intruder in their shower in recent weeks.
Betsy waits until you leave the kitchen and then jumps up on the bin repeatedly until she pops the lid and then ransacks it.
She jumps up on the edge of the dishwasher door, rides it to the ground and then stands on the door and walks into the dishwasher helping herself to the scraps on the plates.
Our son Harvey says she has “mad hops”. I have come to learn this means that she can jump high and climb well.
She can jump on to the top of our outside table with one leap from a standing start. She steals Alfie’s toys and then jumps on to the table and sits there like Mufasa from the Lion King surveying her kingdom and taunting Alfie knowing his hops are not quite as mad as hers.
She has climbed the external stairs of our 12-year-old’s loft bed, which is close to six foot off the ground, to wake her up as she was upset that Georgia was having a sleep-in instead of playing with her.
Unlike Alfie, who is more sparing with his affection, and maybe, to make up for the increased naughtiness quotient, Betsy is incredibly cuddly, has to be in the middle of every conversation, demands hugs and pats constantly, loves to sit on the couch, preferably on top of a human and will not allow me to stand at the kitchen bench preparing dinner without lying on both of my feet.
She is absolutely gorgeous. Betsy turned six months old last weekend.
While we had clearly forgotten how naughty puppies are, we have also been reminded of how delightful, loving and joyful they are.
Betsy has been a fantastic addition to our family and we would not have her any other way.
THE PROBLEM WITH PUPPIES IS THAT THEY ARE SO DISARMINGLY ADORABLE THAT ONE LOOK OR CUDDLE OR LICK ON THE FACE AND NO MATTER WHAT CRIME THEY HAVE COMMITTED, YOU CAN’T POSSIBLY BE CRANKY.