Puppy Daze

How did we get so lucky... to find another great puppy. As I type this, Satchmo is sitting on my lap like a cat, with his chin resting on the table in front of my laptop. I can't tell if he's sleeping or if he's watching the letters pop up on the screen as I type. Either way, this little 12-pound dog is very loving, extremely cute, and he's fitting into our little family as if he's been here for years rather than just days.

I've been doing some research on different dog breeds, trying to find which ones match Satchmo's personality and body type. I must have looked at hundreds of puppy photos within the last couple of days-- not exactly a difficult chore.  As best as I can tell, Satchmo is definitely a mix of King Charles Cavalier Spaniel and Papillon.  Depending on how big he gets when he's closer to a year old, he may even be the 'toy' version of the Cavalier Spaniel.  His coloring is a deep caramel or honey color, which is called 'ruby' by the Cavalier Spaniel breeders.  My husband took that opportunity to suggest that maybe we would like to re-name him Ruby, rather than keeping the Satchmo name.  Not likely. This puppy already turns around when I call out 'Satchmo!' so I think he already recognizes his name. And in my opinion, it's nice to have the name Satchmo out in the world again. My hope is that someone other than our little puppy is nick-named Satchmo, in honor of the legendary Louis Armstrong.

I think my husband is indeed pleased with Satchmo's name anyway... he's been singing "What A Wonderful World" and "When The Saints Go Marching In" these last few days... and trying to imitate Armstrong's voice (which is what my grandfather used to do years ago).  And just what would Gary be singing if we had named the puppy Ruby? (Some sad old country song, probably.)

We have seen the difference in Savannah since adopting this puppy... Savannah is no longer afraid to go out at night anymore. All I have to do is put her leash on her and out we go... no more tugging her to get her off the sofa, no more watching her standing on the porch and looking around the yard before walking down the steps. It seems like most of Savannah's fears have disappeared, most of which came to the surface after those unexpected fireworks back in late April which resulted in her being lost for 12 days. We had hoped that having a puppy companion would soothe Savannah's tortured soul, and it has surely worked.

Two dogs....  two.... to feed, to brush, to walk, to keep clean and healthy. I thought I had lost my mind on that first morning when I came down the stairs and realized that I had to walk two dogs. Should I take the puppy first since he had been in a crate all night?  Or should I take Savannah first since she was the 'number one' dog in this house?  I solved that problem by taking them both at the same time... and it worked.  The leashes got a bit tangled here and there, but that was sorted out easily.

Savannah has surprised us by being very welcoming to Satchmo.... she lets Satchmo climb all over her till she's had enough, and then she just moves away or gives the puppy a little growl which seems to be a dog version of "Enough!"  And Satchmo gets the hint and just walks away, but then goes back for more within five minutes.

I bought puppy-sized chew-bones made with peanut butter, which Satchmo doesn't like, but Savannah clearly loves.  Satchmo's uneaten treat stayed in front of her crate for a couple of hours, but when I left the kitchen, Savannah must have claimed it for her own because she came out of the TV room licking her lips and Satchmo's treat was gone.  I will have to find small treats for the puppy that Savannah doesn't like.

If nothing else, this puppy has brought Savannah out of her shell, which is a joy to behold. Our 'broken' Savannah, post-fireworks, was heart-wrenching to see. I could have cried every night when I tried to get her to just walk outside in the grass before we all went to bed. That hesitant behavior has just disappeared, like magic.  Satchmo just waved his little paw and presto! we have our Savannah back. This new little puppy may weigh only a dozen pounds now, but he's worth his weight in gold to me. Plus he's just so darn cute that (as my grandmother would say) you just want to eat him up!