The World According to Mitch

Jacob, our Boston Terrier/Beagle cross (often called a Boggle) has been with us for nearly five months now.  As any of you who have spoken with me will know he is the absolute love of my life, and will always hold a very special place in my heart, along with Theresa's.  He has grown from a five pound ball of (short) fur into the very respectably sized thirty pounds he is today.  From the very first day we brought him home he has been daddy's little boy, and always will be.  He has also been decidedly jealous of anyone or anything that may seem to get any attention that could otherwise go to him.  (This was extremely cute and harmless at 6lbs… at 30 it is a challenge :))

Yesterday evening Theresa and I, quite on the spur of the moment and without  discussing it with Aaron, saw a puppy on-line that we fell in love with.  After Theresa's dentist appointment she and I were sitting with our respective laptops across one another at our favourite café when I saw her face change… she e-mailed me a link from Kijiji and asked what I thought.  I saw in her eyes that I would make her a very happy woman if I would take her to at least meet the five-pound Basset Hound/Pug cross.

I called the number in Hamilton and after a few minutes talking realized an amazing coincidence… I was speaking to the same woman who we adopted Jacob from!  I did not know if it was a sign from above that we should have another puppy, but I did know it meant that the dog would likely be healthy and well-treated as Jacob had been.  I made an appointment to drive down there that evening.

Because of Jacob's jealousy I suggested that if we were going to consider bringing another puppy home that we should bring Jacob with us to meet her.  Bailey (our nine year old Wheaton Terrier) is extremely friendly and much calmer, and unless you are a squirrel would do no worse than lick you to death.  Jacob on the other hand could be an issue, so we picked him up before setting out for the drive to Hamilton.  As Theresa spoke to Aaron about his room I quietly asked our babysitter Margi to help us out… after Aaron was in bed if she could set up Jacob's old kennel which he outgrew next to the other two, just in case.  Then the three of us were off, Jacob comfortably in Theresa's lap in the passenger seat.

Amazingly Jacob seemed to sense where we were shortly after we got off the QEW in Hamilton… from about two kilometres out he was anxious, and seemed to know where we were.  Don't forget he spent the first few weeks of his life here!

When Leanne and Barry opened the door they were thrilled… they have been reselling puppies from home since August, and Jacob was the first one who ever came back for a visit.  They had decided to keep a Boggle from the next litter, and Buster and Jacob got along from the first.  But when the star of the show made her appearance it was magical.

Theresa absolutely melted.  I did not have a word to say about it because that was what happened to me when I met Jacob, and it was in the exact same place.  When Theresa picked her up I knew that the story was over, we were bringing her home with us.  Jacob – a rambunctious boy to be be sure – also has a delicate side, and whenever the puppy was not in Theresa's arms he was very good with her.  It was hilarious to see her at one point take Jacob's leash in her teeth and try to take him for a walk!  He didn't mind… they were fast friends.

Unlike with Jacob Theresa had already chosen a name for her.  She took a minute to go through a few names including Molly and more, but then realized that they had nearly the same colour hair… and picked for the puppy the name that I had given her as a nickname: Gingit.  She couldn't have known that I learned the word when it was another puppy's name many years ago. 

I was a little jealous of Theresa… I remembered getting into the passenger seat with a five pound Jacob – he didn't have a name yet – in my arms, and now it was her turn.  Once they were settled in I opened the back door and Jacob jumped right in.  He figures the back door is just another way to get into the front seat, and with mommy's  lap occupied by his new sister, there was only one place to go.

Have you ever tried to drive with a thirty pound dog in your lap?  I am glad I was not stopped by the O.P.P. because he does not have his license.  I have been critical of people who drive like that before, and decided that if he did not just lie down and sleep I would put him in the backseat again.  He didn't move a muscle for the entire drive, and when we got home he was just as excited as he could be to introduce Bailey to their new baby sister!

Of course there are jealousy issues… when Theresa brought them into bed in the middle of the night Jacob was a little confused by how anyone could cuddle up into HIS daddy's arms and fall asleep; it took a few minutes for him to settle down, but he eventually lay down along my leg (his favourite place to sleep) and let Gingit sleep on my hand between Theresa and I.  By this time though Gingit was sopping wet from Jacob's attention, not a rare phenomenon.  But this morning when it was time to eat Gingit poo-pooed her puppy food in lie
u of sharing big brother Jacob's kibbles; Jacob made room for her at the trough like a big brother should.

Jacob will always hold a special place in my heart… but there is always plenty of room for a new puppy… especially one who curls up at my feet as I write about her and her brothers… and one who makes my Theresa so happy!