Puppy love!

We welcomed a beautiful cockapoo puppy into our family last week. We had a fair few names on our list (including Mario and Waffle as suggestions from our son) but decided on Dexter as it had been a name we have liked for a while. He was actually the last one left from a litter of 5 puppies but to us he stood out from the others. A big ball of black fluff with a little white tuft on his chest. Gorgeous. 

We excitedly went to visit him twice, once when he was 4 weeks old and another time just before we were due to collect him. We wanted Dexter to be a surprise for our 5 year old son so we kept it secret, although we were bursting to tell him. Our son has started to show a real love for dogs and is extremely confident at saying hello to them at the beach. We have to be wary of this, but so far every one has been friendly. We did start dropping hints and showing him pictures of puppies and asking what would he name a doggie and what kind of puppy would he like. He did say that he thought we should have one for each of us. I asked him where would we have space for them; and he said they could all sit on his lap.

I have always loved dogs since I was about 8, and my grandad used to have a beautiful black cross Alsatian/Labrador called Max who was very special to me. I didn't get to see him that often but when I did I would play with him for hours (they ran a post office and had a glorious garden) and be keen to take him for walks down the country lanes. Sadly Max managed to escape the confines of the garden one day and got run over on the motorway that was further back. I was devastated. They got another dog after that but she wasn't the same as Max.

I lived in a flat with my parents so a dog was never an option. I got a cat called Tigger when I was 10 who was my absolute joy. I loved him to pieces and he would follow me everywhere. He was certainly a great fur friend to have. He lived to a grand age of 18. I have been much of a cat lover a lot of my life. When Steve and I moved into our first flat together we got Casper who we both doted on. He was an extra special cat that just seemed human in many ways. He used to sit across Steve's shoulders which was comical to watch. He loved cuddles and was the most affectionate cat I have ever known. We still miss him so much today. We then got Milly, followed by Sadie but they were so different and just seemed to keep themselves to themselves. When Casper sadly died it really hit us hard and I cried for a long time afterwards. About 3 months later we got Monty who seemed to come from a basic litter but the vet confirmed he had some Norwegian Forest cat in him. To say he is huge and fluffy is an understatement. We live at home now with Monty and Milly. We did wonder how they would react to a puppy?

Living in Hove we noticed straight away that many people had dogs of all shapes and sizes. Cockapoos, French bull dogs and pugs seem the most popular choices. The more we went for our daily walks the more we started noticing our son's positive reaction to dogs and how much he seemed interested in having one as a pet. Another lockdown happened in November 2020 and then it felt just the right time to start considering getting a puppy. We would both still be working from home for the foreseeable future and the winter would be the best time to get a puppy ready for walks in the Spring. I then went on a mission to find one.

Dexter came home on 28th January 2021. We had researched and bought everything a puppy could possibly want and much more. We collected him and he fell asleep in my arms on the way home. To say he is just such a joy to have around is an understatement. He wees on the floor and keeps us up half the night but we can see already how much he has enhanced our family. We videoed the reaction when our son first met him and it was just priceless 'Heh little puppy, come for a cuddle, are you gonna be my play pal now'. I mean wow!

Having a puppy is like having a baby all over again. He wants to be with us all the time, cries if we leave the room and doesn't want us to sleep at night.

We can already see Dexter's character coming out. He loves playing and biting feet. If you make a weird noise he tilts his head to listen. He adores running around in the garden chasing and exploring. He found a feather the other day and was barking at it as he had never seen one before. He does bark at Milly but she doesn't seem that bothered. Poor Monty has taken to staying upstairs now.

Having Dexter at home makes the gloomy days we seem to be having more bearable. We have carried him outside for a few little trips, but he is a heavy lump when you carry him for more than 10 mins. You could see his little nose twitching as he takes in the big outside world for the first time. We can't wait to take him for his first walkie to the beach and the park. We are head over heels for our puppy.