So, um. I have a puppy.

[Leigh]

Mom's been after me to get a dog nearly as soon as Kravitz was put down because she doesn't want me to be lost and alone the way I was after my beloved Dachshund Simon had to be put down. I kept telling her "no, not yet, leave me alone, let me grieve, maybe, I don't know, possibly, no, not yet," until I finally said "For f--k's sake, I'll look for a puppy in June! Knock it off!" (Well, that's paraphrased, but it's probably what I should've said.)

But Mom, who's fueled by her worries and has a bad case of puppy rabies (some women get baby rabies; she gets puppy rabies), persisted. This is partly because the breeders we go to for Dachshunds have very high demands for their pups. Entire litters are sold nearly as soon as the puppy pictures hit their webpage. (That's not hyperbole.) In her persistence, Mom wanted to show me pictures of a long-haired litter yesterday; there was a li'l baby brindle boy she was particularly taken by. Despite my misgivings and my anger at having said misgivings, I went to take a look.

Yeah. I was doomed the moment I saw him.

He'll be ready to leave his dam on June third, and he's part British, like me, and he was born on the same day as Beau, Mom's and Dad's Dachshund, which is the day after Simon's birthday. Mom made a down payment. Now I need to save up enough to make a partial payment of my own when it's time to pick him up.

I'm still having mixed feelings about this, admittedly. I'm grateful Mom was willing to pay for the li'l guy, and there are good signs surrounding this purchase. But I'm nervous about doing the best job, since I've never been purely responsible for a puppy of my own. I've helped Mom and Dad with their puppies, but the animals who were mine were all adults or close to it; Sugar, my mare, was thirteen when she joined our family, Simon was six months old when we got him, and Kravitz was an adult when I adopted him. And for someone who claims to be so good at reading people, Mom sure ignored my boundaries and wishes, so I'm miffed she's getting her way yet again.

On the other hand, I've already picked out four names I like.

[Suzee]

Sometimes the best things come at the times we need them whether or not we think we want them.

I hope its wonderful and healing and everything you really need right now.

[Yvonne]

OMG puppy!! <3 Congratulations!

I know what those misgivings feel like, though. We got our pup Finally last year (she's a mutt rescue) and I'm still grieving over my parents dog, who we put down several years ago. We got her at 3 months and I'd never had a puppy before either. BUT -- she's wormed her way into my home and heart and turned into a really nice dog. I guess what I'm saying (badly) is I know how weird it is to be expecting a new dog when you're not sure you're ready for one. It turned out well for me, though, and I hope it'll turn out just as well for you.

[Avery]

I'm sorry if you feel browbeat by your mom. I hope that puppy winds up being therapeutic for you.

Last year we inherited a cat from my roommate's brother. My own cat who I'd had forever (was living at my mom's, but still my cat) was put down in April '16. When in September we were asked about taking Bailey, I was soooo stressed. I thought maybe 6ish months wasn't enough to get over my cat. But it turned out really great for us, and I hope it helps you!

[Leigh]

April's not a good month for pets, it seems. Kravitz had to be put down on the fourth. :-/ It could be you three are right, and this boy's who and what I need in my life, so I'm gonna do my best to do right by him like I did with Kravitz.

In the meantime, I'm exceeding the FDA's daily recommended amount of Vitamin Smug 'cause Mom's puppy rabies finally got the best of her, like it always does. She bought a puppy she and Dad were gaga over from the same breeder who produced my pup. They had named her Izzy even before the purchase. Then, when Mom got buyer's remorse for many reasons, she tried to talk to Dad about getting the money back, but he looked so dejected she agreed to at least see Izzy in person on the twenty-ninth, when she'll be ready to leave her dam too.

So while we're gonna have trouble with getting two dogs housebroken at roughly the same time, I'm gonna enjoy knowing Mom caved before I did.

[Paula]

Congratulations. You may have misgivings now but it just might turn out well in the end. Puppies are like babies, whole lot of work but you can't help but love them.

[Leigh]

Here he is: Donovan Chaucer Barrow.

[Heather]

My family is dachshund crazy as well. My parents have four of their own, my brother and his wife have two, and I have one. I use to have two, I had a dachshund-schipperke mix, but he passed away in Jan of 2015. Like literally the day after we buried my beloved Sully my husband brought home a tiny, black fuzzy kitten that needed a home. I didn't want another animal, I was still freshly grieving over the fuzzy black dog that had gone with me to college. Buuuttt, there was another tiny black face that needed me the way Sully had when I adopted him. So we named the cat "Van" in memory of Sully (whose full name was Sullivan.)

I hope all goes well with your Donovan, he looks like a cutie! Dachshunds have special personalities.

[Paula]

Awww, that cute expression, it just says: love me, please.