Getting a New Friend For My Dessy
So, when I met Sheena, I wasn't going to let her become my enemy. I had two other dogs and a host of animals in my life and was a member of the local 4-H club for 8 years, so animals, more than people, had been closer to me in my life, so I knew there was something about Sheena and myself. She was 6 or 7 years old and wasn't rescued until she was 3, so I knew she had a lot on her mind. I was around 2 or more months of visits until one day, I came over and sat at the same picnic bench and she came over to me a put her head on my knee. Soon I was grooming her and one day we came by and Sheena came bolting towards me after I stepped out of the car. Her owners screamed at her but she didn't stop until she got to my hand and with her butt just a wiggling. The hadn't noticed the bond we had established. It was a few weeks since we had been by and we received a call from her owners telling us that Sheena had become pregnant from the dog next door, a big black Lab looking dog that was tied to big truck tire, thus dispelling the myth of Sheena's spaying. I had to have a puppy and the next few months were filled with a happy, better groomed and feeling good Sheena, showing off her new plump filled belly to me and after the birth, showing me the pride of her puppies. I had the idea of getting one of the 3 males borne to her. But I was disappointed at the 6 week visit and the puppy I was going to pick was kind of withdrawn and wanted to stay with the pack after being picked up. I let that puupy down and began to speak to Sheena again. She placed her head on my knee and I smiled and began to speak to her again, soothingly and soon noticed a little pawing at my leg. There was one puppy sitting at my feet. Sheena looked at her and gave the impression to the pup like, "Hey, this is MY man, beat it, kid...", but allowed me to pick it up. It was a little girl. Sheena and I exchanged glances and I knew that this was the one she wanted me to have. That's how I met Dessy, we have been inseparable for the last 11 years. We have gone through good and bad times, from her having heartworms as a puppy from the swampy area around where she was born, to her mother being found dead on her owner's porch a few months after we adopted Dessy, to us being separated unexpectedly for 4 days after my being diagnosed with diabetes. She has always been there and a star pupil when we went through beginner obedience school, although the trainer said that I was too overbearing when I trained Dessy, hence I understood the differences between hard headed males and intelligent females... It has been a beautiful ride, but it is 11 years later and Dessy is beginning to slow down. She has a little trouble getting up that last step of three coming in the back door after she goes outside and requires a little assistance getting in our car. She takes more than a second to get up from the more frequent naps she takes, sometimes dragging her back legs for a bit before standing up on the Pergo, wooden floor, but she is still my baby and lives just to smile for me and give me that one lick to see that I am alright. I recently had a total hip replacement and am walking more, I got the replacement after 7 years of pain while walking Dessy, so I could go back to hiking trails with her, and she patiently waited with me for this day and just in the last few month has just slowed down. I look at her smile and know she has so much to teach and worries about me being alone for whereever I go she is always either at my feet of in eyesight of me. I NEVER want to be without a dog, Dessy has been the rock that has grounded me for her entire life and her personality has been better than any dog that I have ever had. She has outlasted my Blazer and has ridden well into my Element's life for more than 120,000 miles and never given me a problem as she just hopped out for a quick break, checked her "P-mail" and jumped back into the car to further our adventures. And after outlasting a lot of things in my life I finally had the opportunity to get a puppy for her, since I denied her that opportunity because I wanted her to have a fuller life than her mother. Zorro was born March 3, 2006, we learned about hm through one of the many breeders sites on the Internet and were impressed with the friendliness of the breeders and the stories behing the parents and progressiveness and cuteness of the website. They had a little bio on each pup born and constantly updated pictures. I picked Zorro out for the roundness of his little head, the uniqueness in his litter with a patch over his right eye and something about the glisten in his eye. But I remembered not to get too caught up in the viseral, the best package is always the one that is the best wrapped, so we drove 4 hours to see these little 4-1/2 week old packages for ourselves. The father was majestic and laid-back, he was a noble, though stocky sight, as friendly to us as if he knew us for years. It was so funny to see him sit on the drop off to the sunken living room on his tail-less bottom. And his infinitely wiggle butted mom, was even more friendly wanting to give everyone a welcomed lick, on the hand, arm or face, if she could. And they also had an 8 month old from the last litter who was spry and excited, but equally friendly. Zorro's family was a great group, but was the proof in the pudding? I was enthusiactically encouraged to pick up Zorro and waited to see if he would grunt and whine like Dessy's brother did, but wasn't greeted with the same displeasure. He just sat there and looked at my face. A sort of "who are you?" expression.... Not dipleased, but sort of "hmmmm..." He then as if cued, just relaxed in my hand, melting like warmed butter. Then we met the parents and he was still just relaxed. Even after his mother came over and gave him a little lick on the face and butt cleaning, he really didn't give an adamant, "I want to get down" reaction. This was a great puppy... but Dessy was waiting in the car, what would she think? The breeders let me take Zorro out to see Dessy and wanted me to let him down to let them interact, but I felt Dessy would be more preoccupied with checking her "P-mail" and would be distracted with the little thing, so I just decided to let this just be a quick introduction. I opened the minivan and showed the pup to her, expecting a growl, but got no reaction, none.... It's been few days and after giving them a deposit and making plans to pick up Zorro after Easter, I am wondering did I do the right thing. Will this be too much for Dessy? I thought that she could help my housebreaking of the puppy by showing him where to relieve himself in the yard, she could show him to bark when the doorbell rings to tell that someone is there, and they were protecting the house. I am having doubts... Can someone reassure me? Here is the website for some Zorro pics, I haven't got the opportunity to take any of my own... http://www.oesshaggypups.com/ZORRO.HTM |
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My dog Lucy was close to the same age as Dessy when we got Clyde a year and half ago. She had been the only dog for the past 8 years with me so I wasn't sure how she would do with him. She was actually surprisingly gentle with Clyde and tolerated his annoying puppy behavior very well! With Lucy, although she was acting fine with Clyde, the change bothered her for the first month and she didn't want to eat her food. She would eat people food so I started feeding her whatever I was eating and gradually introduced her food with the people food in it. This is not a method I would suggest, but it worked for her. 
Honestly, after the initial transistion period, we really have had very few negatives but lots of positives. Lucy lost 30 pounds after we got Clyde from the new exercise she was getting. She used to have trouble getting up and was a little limpy once in awhile but with all the exercise, she's at the best weight of her life and her mobility is better now than it was 2 years ago. She gets to go on a lot more outings and does more fun doggy stuff because Clyde's energy levels are pretty demanding! However, my thinking in getting Clyde was that Lucy was lonely. Well, it turned out, in a lot of ways, she liked the peace and quiet of being an only dog. It was one thing when Clyde was a little puppy but now he outweighs her by about 40 pounds and when he wants to play, and she doesn't, she winds up angry and trying to get away from him. Although she likes "doing" stuff, she's not big on playing anymore and Clyde bugs her a lot! Our new solution? We got a third dog to play with Clyde to let Lucy go back to a more solo existence. Two weeks ago we rescued Bear, a 7 month old Komondor. He's already 80 pounds and a great match for Clyde. They're best buddies already and he's only been here for 2 weeks. Lucy is less than thrilled with Bear but, like when Clyde came, she just needs some time to adjust. She gets protective when Clyde and Bear play and she barks, but even that's slowing down now. She's getting old so I allow her an amount of crankiness with the boys. Now we can pay even more attention to her because Clyde and Bear keep themselves occupied. Be careful though, it's hard to stop at just one... or two... or three!  |
| I have the EXACT same thing to say as ButtersStotch! Well, except for the food, nothing stops Norman from eating.
The biggest thing with a new puppy is their health. Definitely check the ancestry/health of the parents, hips, elbows and eyes can be researched on the OFA site. http://www.offa.org/ You should also contact their vet and make sure that they go in for all of their yearly checks and also see what problems they have been treated for. When you went to see the puppies were their eyes clear and bright? No weird discharges from anywhere? Are the parents in good health? How old are the parents? (Many hereditary diseases don't show up until after 2 years of age.) Do the breeders offer any protection from hereditary diseases? If you are unable to care for the dog down the road, will they take the dog back and rehome it or keep it? I know it seems like a lot but better some questions, research and straight answers now than hearbreak down the road. We got our second dog from people we found out to be backyard breeders. They were super nice people, puppies were raised in the house, mom is a nice pet, they talked about showing years ago. They don't certify the dogs hips but they've been x-rayed and there's no problems. These people have to be okay, right? Well as nice as they were, as okay as everything seemed the dog we got from them is just not right. He is a loving, great pet, I wouldn't trade him for the world but he is twitchy beyond twitchy, he's way too tall and I am always worrying about what could happen in the future. You don't necessarily need a "high class" pedigree but you do need to make sure that they are giving your pup the best possibilities in life by starting them out right. Good luck and I hope you get a spectacular pup for your great Dessy! |
| The way I figure it,
2 years, 9 months and 11 days has to be the loooongest time between registering on the forum and making your first post. 
Welcome, and good luck with your pup! |
| Welcome! That sure is a long time before posting! I'm Mom to 9 yr old Annie and 10 wk old Fozzie. We were so concerned about getting Fozzie as Annie can be quite bitchy. She doesn't hit it off well with other dogs and likes to go after them when food is around. Our main reason for getting a puppy was that Annie is getting older and I don't ever want to be without an OES. I knew that we wouldn't be in the right frame of mind when Annie is gone to train a puppy. Husband never raised a pup and really wanted one. If it was entirely up to me, we would have gotten a pup about 1 yr who was housetrained, but that was not to be. I kept looking on Petfinder & checking with rescue contacts, but it didn't happen and time kept ticking...
I was up for a puppy challenge mentally, but not physically. I have fibromyalgia at the age of 32 (diagnosed at 21). The reason I tell you this is not to not deter you from getting a pup, but to consider and be realistic about your health status. You may have forgotten (as I did) how much work is involved with a puppy. Yes, having an older dog has helped. Foz is more in tune with where to go potty outside and Annie does put him in his place when he is being extra naughty However, there is a lot of bending involved to get things out of his mouth and keep him from biting. Us humans are the ones who need to carry him outside, up and down stairs, etc. I would be lying if I told you it isn't tiring...I'm exhausted. Well, enough about me. Assess you situation realistically and be prepared. Your older baby might do well with a pup. Our Annie has certainly surprised us with her tolerance and gentleness with Fozzie. Keep us posted! |
| Hi, I'm new here. 14 years ago, we adopted our first OES puppy, who was a complete and utter joy. When Merlin was about 7 years old, he started settling into middle age and we acquired another OES puppy, Archie. The adjustment wasn't completely smooth and what I had hoped would happen did not: I had hoped that a new puppy would re-awaken the puppy in our older dog, Merlin. It did not, but sort of pushed him into retirement, a bit. There was initial resentment and some training of the new puppy by Merlin, but they became friends, if not exactly playmates.
Time marched on and this past January, we lost Merlin, just 2 months short of his 14th birthday. Archie is approaching his 7th birthday and we are considering acquiring a new puppy--or rather, perhaps a pair of puppies. We prefer to do this in the spring/summer as husband and kids are home more often. My husband is set on another OES, and we will probably go the puppy route because there are no OES rescue groups remotely near us in MN (as far as we've been able to tell.) Unlike Merlin at the same age, Archie shows little signs of slowing down. He is still very puppy like in his joy in romping. He is sociable, although somewhat jealous of other dogs when we show them attention. He dislikes being alone for a long time, although he has not become destructive in the few months since Merlins' death. Any thoughts about adding 2 puppies to the household with an older dog? Our kids are grown or college age, but we are very concerned that any dogs in our household be able to enjoy being with --and be safe with children of all ages, as well as adults. I am well aware of the grooming issues. We do not intend to show our dogs, but also do not shave our dogs, but rely instead on brushing to keep their coats presentable and mat-free. We have a large home, small yard and walk Archie 4 times a day. |
| Welcome! The information for MN OES rescue is:
Nancy Hakala at 952-831-5415 or nancyhakala@aol.com |
| Hello! Welcome to the group
I'm sorry about the loss of your sheepie-boy earlier this year. 
We purchased two littermate sisters at the same time. We brought them into a home with two adult dogs ages 5 and 6. I can't promise that things will go smoothly... that really depends upon Archie and how he accepts the new comers or if he views them as intruders. BUT... if he likes the interaction/company of other dogs he may take well to it. Since you've worked through it before with Merlin and Archie, you know about supervising their interactions until they all settle in. We found that two puppies actually entertain each other and took some of the obnoxious puppy-pestering away from the adult dogs. The puppies did play with one of the adults more than the other (one doesn't like to have her space invaded except outdoors). http://www.pomeroys.com/EmmaDarby/Page2.htm Once the adult was tired of playing, the pups would play with each other (we would give the adults some quiet time if the pups got too overwhelming). They are 2 1/2 years old now and love to wrestle/play with each other best but also play with the others. http://www.pomeroys.com/EmmaDarby/AboutU420.jpg We later adopted a special-needs sheepie pup at 9 weeks of age. When she was 10 months old, we adopted another special-needs sheepie that was 11 months old. They play with each other a lot too. http://www.pomeroys.com/EmmaDarby/AboutU438.jpg For us, it's been all positive. Yes, we've had some squabbles but this is pretty normal with a pack. It's funny because the 2 littermate-sisters we have get along the absolute best of any of them. I'm sure others will share their experiences with you too.
Wishing you the best! |
  
A FELLOW MINNESOTAN!!!! HOORAH!!! If you are interested in recues, please do contact Nancy, she's a gem of a person, very helpful, and will try to find you the perfect dog. However, she doesn't get puppies in real often. There are not very many breeders in our area. If you want to get a puppy from a breeder, contact Tarja Peters... her info is up at the top of the forum in a sticky! I recently bought Pip, my 15 week old guy, from a breeder in WI, so don't feel frustrated if you can't find a breeder here. You may end up having to go further a field. |
| Hi,
I am late on catching up with posts. Your story about Dessy is so touching! You have such an eloquent way of telling your story that I was enthralled. Dessy and her mom sound amazing. I clicked on your icon hoping to see pictures of Dessy. But, I was so glad to see that you did adopt the little puppy. He's adorable. Would love to see some pictures of your sweet Dessy! We adopted Hannah when Katrina was 9. I believe it helped her to know that WE would be taken care of and her responsibility was some what lifted. We were so close to Katrina. Hope you continue to love and enjoy your beautiful babies. Please post some pics of Dessy. She deserves it. |
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