Our new Family Member on Trial!

Yesterday afternoon my daughter text me saying she was running late home due to heavy traffic, I text back ‘thanks for letting me know x’. My office is in a converted workshop so I didn’t hear her come in, next thing she opens the door and the first thing she says is ‘don’t get angry’ then produces an 8 week old German Sheppard puppy.

My Baby and Thor (look at those paws!)

This dog is the size of a Laundry basket now – what will it be like in 2 years time? (I do know, but OMG!) His name is Thor (named before she got him). A client came into her office yesterday and said his daughter had been given Thor as a gift but she is allergic which meant he had to go. (Not sure if this is true or they had no idea what an 8week old Sheppard pup gets up to or how much work they are). So my baby said we would have him (without asking me grrrrr).

Just over four years ago I saw an ad for a Staffie and as the kids have grown up with Staffies I thought I would ‘have a look’ seeing I was going to the Hairdressers in the same suburb that day. A rather dishevelled looking young man fronted with this dog called Bear and told me his mother said he couldn’t keep him anymore; unfortunately he had been neglected with a redraw rash covering the whole underside of his body so I immediately gave him the money as I couldn’t stand the thought of this poor dog not getting the treatment it needed. He told me Bear did not have a microchip which I didn’t question (should of). I went straight to the pet supply place that I had been going to for years (the owner also breeds dogs) and bought everything he needed including treatment for the rash. This was the day before Easter and I could not get into the vet till after the holidays but by that time his rash had improved greatly and the vet said I was using the right stuff. I asked him to Microchip Bear but when he checked he said he already had a chip (but didn’t mention the owner’s name), I went home and tried to call dishevelled looking young man but it had been disconnected. 

Life continued along nicely with Bear a very much loved part of our family. Last February I had a Conference to attend in Adelaide and my baby had an Engagement party in Newcastle both on the same week end. Daughter one who had by that time moved close to the city said she would mind him at her place while we were away. Not long after my baby dropped him off he escaped from the backyard of daughter ones house and went (something he never did at home but must have panicked in new surroundings). He was found by two young girls who took him to the local vet who then scanned the microchip and called the original owner – apparently he had been stolen by the dishevelled young man. After many phone calls, texts and a meeting over the following 2 months with this woman and her promise to my baby for ‘shared custody’ we find out this was all bull, she never intended to let my baby see him again (not to mention that I found out that it was in fact her that neglected him in the first place). My baby lived for her best friend Bear. I realised I should have asked more questions at the time; I can only hope now that she looks after him.

Bear coming for a drive with me

Bear and Lou on a play date

So as our new little one sleeps in a washing basket with a pillow beside me (so cute when he is asleep) after vomiting up the dirt he ate from the garden while he was ‘picking’ flowers which are all over the floor (am not going to clean up his mess, am not, am not, am not) I wonder what the future will bring for this little fella. 

Taken earlier today - I'm not sitting in the bathroom!