I got into California on Thursday evening. I spent the night with Car Guy and his lovely spouse, Bike Nurse. Friday morning I headed to Gustine to pick up Angus. Car Guy decided to jump on one of his motorcycles and come meet and greet the new boy. Many of these pictures are his. We got there about 8AM local time. I called ahead and when we arrived Angus was getting his going home bath from Donna.
After his bath and some routine paperwork it was time to head home. I met Mom and his siblings and was pleased. She's beautiful and has a great temperament. Her pups were all fat, happy and fearless. Angus is calm, very sweet and trusting. He snuggled into my arms immediately (though, in the interest of total honesty Car Guy got first pets and first snuggles).
I borrowed the DO's van for the trip. After taking out the back seats and laying down a blanket (that turned out to be very necessary. Foreshadowing it's not just a literary device) it was the perfect vehicle for transporting a new puppy 625 miles.
A rare and much sought after picture of Car Guy in full regalia with his motorcycle in the background.
As to the foreshadowing. When we were filling out the paperwork on Angus Donna mentioned that he'd just had a Parvo shot. Now for those who don't know, Parvo vaccinations in puppies usually produce some fairly spectacular diarrhea. I stupidly assumed she meant the day before and assured her it wasn't a problem. Uh, no. It was actually that very morning, just minutes before we arrived.
About halfway through the trip he started nosing around and showing signs of needing to eliminate. I dove for the shoulder, jumped out and threw open the passenger sliding door only to be greeted by Angus leaving me a nice steaming pile of loose Puppy Poop. It was not to be the last. A quick clean up and we were on our way. Now, I stopped very often and even got him to pee outside several times. Still, he did take a whiz or two on the blanket before I could stop. It's tough to try and watch a puppy and traffic at the same time, which is why the blanket was there. I decided to limit his food intake to keep the 'gifts' to a minimum. A bit further on I suddenly noticed that he's crept up between the seats and had his muzzle buried in the food bag. He'd managed to eat a very healthy helping before I caught on. Uh oh. The combination of the Parvo shot and an overfull belly, coupled with a ride in a car when he'd never so much as seen one before brought on a spot of car sickness. He managed 2 more squirts on the blanket before tuckering out enough to sleep. I brought him up into my lap and noticed he kept raising his head into the AC. I swept the passenger seat clear and plopped him down where he promptly fell into an exhausted sleep.
At one point he had his head dangling over the edge of the seat. Um.... Turns out that wasn't a great idea. I saw him get up, drop his head down and upchuck all over the side of the seat and door (Sorry DO. I cleaned it up. I swear).
From there all the way home it was a contest whether I could spot what was coming in time to get pulled over or just pull over and do clean up. It was not Angus' fault. It was mine. I misunderstood what Donna was telling me and underestimated the effects of the shot and trip on his pretty untested system. Really, it was Ok. All said and done he did just fine. He's well adjusted and calm. When he wasn't eliminating he was playing or sleeping. He was really a good boy. We got through it and Angus grew to really appreciate the warmth and comfort of my embrace and lap. Call it an unplanned bonding session. Pooping, Peeing and Puking. The Big Three.
Still, we were both pretty happy to get home. Here's Angus checking out the new back yard. As soon as he got settled he started feeling better.
First things first. A nap is definitely in order.
The next day all was forgotten. We actually had a very good night. Angus sleeps in a crate next to our bed. He took to it with no problems and slept quietly, only crying when he needed to go out. He had no accidents in the crate. I'm a real proponent of crate training puppies. As I write this Angus is in the bedroom, in his crate, taking a long nap. It's dark, quiet and cool. He's adapting very well.
Angus is happy and playful. He's also trusting. He gave me his belly very early on and loves to wrestle from his back. A good sign of a puppy who is secure and unafraid. He's explored and played and learned where to do his business. I put a blanket on the floor in front of my chair and he tends to stay close and either play with me or by himself. He loves the knotted rope and his monkey.
Or sleep. He does love his naps.
Come to think of it, so do I. Especially with my new buddy.
I withheld food until this morning, just to make sure his system was working again before I added to his problems. He was still squirting out both ends Friday night but as of this morning all seems to be well. He's eating normally and stopped 'returning things' messily. His appetite is good and he's drinking frequently.
I am very happy. Angus is just what I hoped for and needed. A huge empty space in my life has just been filled and the Six household is now complete once again. My thanks to the DO, Car Guy and Don and Donna Shaw at Highland Labs. And to all of you who have supported me so long and so well. I'll be posting regularly about the continuing exploits and adventures of a sweet little dog named Angus.
Six
