A New Puppy!

Who can resist the adorable puppies you see at the pet store?  They're all so cute and fluffy that it's hard to believe that they come from such awful beginnings at puppy farms, where dogs are bred purely for profit with no thought given to their health or future. 

I know first hand what can happen when a dog isn't bred properly....Peanut was a pet shop dog.  Monty her brother is still with us but has had health problems since he was a puppy.   

Thank goodness that there are really good breeders out there who carefully breed only the best dogs to make sure the puppy you take home will be healthy and happy their entire life.  

These breeders have their dogs genetically tested to rule out any diseases that may be passed down so they can produce the healthiest puppies.  

Ideally a breeder will hand raise the puppies in a home environment having family members handle the puppies and give them love and attention every day.  This is how you get the best temperament, because the puppies are socialized to people before you even bring them home.

Nowadays there are breeders for every kind of dog imaginable, not just purebreds.  

This is how I came to adopt my new best friend.  You see after losing Peanut I was inconsolable so my Husband suggested that I consider getting a new puppy.  Of course, I yelled at him and told him I couldn't possibly love another dog as much as Peanut. 

But after some time had passed and I still felt so sad I considered what he said and started looking around.  That's how I found Zoe, although at that time she was named Mercedes. 

A tip:  If your breeder gives all her puppies a number (black female 1) instead of a name you should find a different breeder.

I was looking up breeders on the internet when I came across Sugar and Spice Cockapoos http://www.sugarandspicecockapoos.com/    

Right there on their "Available Puppies" page was a face so familiar it could have been a twin to my Peanut.  I felt that it was meant to be, she had the same white patch on her chin and chest as Peanut...it must be a sign.

We left that weekend for South Carolina to meet Zoe and her "birth mom" and dad and also to make sure she was raised properly and came from a loving home.  Zoe was 5 weeks old when I met her and I loved her the moment I saw her, she climbed over her siblings to get to me so I would pick her up first.  Full of energy and curiosity she played with me, came when I called her and even gave me a kiss on the nose.  

It was so hard to leave her there but I knew she had to grow up a little more before she could leave her mother and siblings.  I told her I would be back to get her soon.  I counted the days until I could get her.

When I took Zoe home she weighed 2.2 lbs and didn't fit into anything but a tiny Buddy Belt harness I bought for her.  When I got her to the car Monty wouldn't even look at her.  You see Monty was in mourning too, he missed his sister as much as I did.  He didn't like Zoe much until she got a little bigger and now he loves her, she taught him how to play again.  I think he was afraid of her because she was so little, fast and had sharp puppy teeth.   

Initially, I felt guilty for loving Zoe.  I felt that I was forgetting Peanut and that I should continue to mourn her,  but when I thought about it I realized that Peanut was always full of joy and happiness and I'm sure she would hate to think I was so miserable without her.   She would want me to be happy again.  

I still think of Peanut often and losing her is still very painful, but I don't feel guilty anymore for loving Zoe, I think Peanut would have loved her too. 

Sugar and Spice Cockapoos is run by a husband and wife team and they raise all the puppies in their home.  They keep everything clean and healthy for all their dogs and treat every one of them like a member of the family.  

When I visited they welcomed me into their home and allowed me to play with the puppies as long as I wanted and introduced me to Zoe's parents.  Meeting Zoe's parents was such a wonderful experience because now when I see her do something I didn't teach her I can say "Oh, her dad did that" or when she rolls over and over I can remember seeing her mom do that to entertain her puppies.

It was a wonderful experience getting my puppy from a reputable breeder.  I pays to do your research and make that visit to check out their home so you know where your puppy is coming from.