A Rookie in the House

The rookie walked into the room the other day, and everyone was there to greet her. Pats on the head, big hugs, a ball to play with. She grabbed a sip of water and a bite to eat, then promptly pooped on the floor.

Her name is Daisy, and she is a golden retriever. She was born two months ago, and we purchased her from a breeder earlier this week. She’s a little fur-ball right now, but she is the bold-faced headline in the news of our household. For the girls, this is their first time with a puppy, and they can’t get enough of her. They want to hold her, walk her, wake her up from her naps, and show her off to their friends. Katie, who is 8, is at a perfect age for helping take care of a new dog. She’ll usher Daisy outside, then play with her in the yard for an hour. Chelsea, at 5, is still a bit spooked by the idea of an animal in the house, so she alternates between trying to pet the dog and trying to run away from her.

For Amy and me, Daisy was an easy sell. She brings back fond memories of our previous golden’s puppy days, yet also brings her own, frisky personality. Daisy will lick your hand and wag her tail at you, but then when you’re on the floor with her she’ll gnaw at your hands, and even your hair. We’re trying to explain that she doesn’t need to retrieve parts of our body; she’s starting to get it.

The new kid on our block has helped us emerge from some of the darker days of winter, and she seems to love her new home. But somewhere in between that poop on the floor and the 4:30 a.m. whines from her crate, Daisy has helped Amy and I clear up a very important piece to our marriage: We are absolutely finished having children.

Amy’s been sure of it for a long time, while I’ve been slower to come around. But as I walk around my house this weekend in a fog of dog-induced fatigue, I am finally and fully on board. Two kids is a blessing; two is enough. Committing months to waking in the night, cleaning the messes and shushing the cries? That’s just more than this 39-year-old body is willing to take on. The little fur-ball is getting better, sleeping longer each night and leading us toward the door when nature calls. In a week, we hope she’ll be fully house-trained. But this past week has brought more than enough extra parenting for the two of us.

The rookie is a pretty fast learner, and Coach Katie has been a champ. But waking us up before dawn, as Daisy did today, just so she could go outside and eat snow? That’s enough to make Mom and Dad a tad cranky during the day.

There’s more I could tell you about Daisy – her white, almost polar bear-like fur; the clumsy way she tries to jump over the puppy gate, only to bounce off of it and land on her back in the water bowl; the trips she’s made down our backyard hill on Katie’s flying saucer. I could keep going, but honestly I’m pooped. Figuratively speaking, of course.

The rookie is being taken to her locker. Mom and Dad need some sleep.