Meet Coco (the German Shepherd, black and yellow Labrador mix). Why yes, I know the "a" is missing, and if you saw her little, black collar you'd know she's both classy, and fabulous, and deserving of the name beyond just her yummy, chocolaty color!
She was not a birthday present, but she arrived the very same weekend, and we've been spending a lot of time together, and since then as you can see, I've had very little time, well, for anything really - blogging included. Between running after this fuzzy, little (and I use that term loosely) baby, and the new college aged neighbors upstairs (which is a whole other story, and the reason I'm awake and writing at 4:30 A.M.), I'm absolutely depleted, and exhausted.
Looking after a new puppy is a lot like taking care of a baby, you know if babies were born with shark's teeth, and had endless amounts of romping energy (to the point where I'm beginning to search for a hidden solar panel somewhere on her back since she is MORE energized after a long walk than before it), and of course if infants weighed in at 20 pounds by 10 weeks old ... oh yeah, and babies wear diapers - enough said. I have to say though, potty training has gone easier than anticipated, and she already runs to the door when it's time ... for the most part. She's borderline genius, and going to grow up to be an amazing dog, she will already sit, and lie down on command - next will be "shake" and some leash etiquette since our peaceful walks have turned into a thrilling game of tug-of-war.
But somewhere between the potty accidents, chasing my cat (whom she ADORES), drinking my bathwater, and the latest discovery of "boinging" the coil doorstop, fetching me everything in the house, or doing that weird German Shepherd sneak that I've dubbed the "Coco creep" there are moments like this...and let me tell you, she is a Class A snuggler, which is great since snuggling is taken very seriously 'round these parts. She also loves early morning Who's the Boss mini-marathons, which also works out great since I could listen to Tony Danza exclaim "Sa-MAN-da!" on endless rotation. Ay-oh, Oh-ay!
Well I'm off, and back to bed for an hour before she wakes up again and demands breakfast and a very chilly morning walk!
xoxo
