Puppy Love

 think the heat is getting to my brain. I have never been a "dog person" yet somehow I found myself thinking that getting a dog here would be a good idea. My rationale was roughly this: I have all tile floors - making doggy "accidents" less of a big deal, I have a housekeeper & yard keeper around during the day to help out, I have a large, fully gated yard, dog trainers and vets are well trained and relatively inexpensive here and the kids seem like they're at an age where they can actually take responsibility for a pup. Somehow that logic went from getting a puppy to deciding we needed a Goldendoodle (golden retriever/poodle mix) since they don't shed and are low-allergen, to falling in love with #6 female - a pup from a breeder in Canada, having the pup shipped to NYC, where I'll be in March, me bringing the pup back to Ghana and us living happily ever after with our new little family member. Of course, we would have first read up on dog behavior, have a dog trainer picked out and have everything all ready for our new arrival. Next thing I know, we're walking down the street in the main commercial center of Accra and see a guy standing on the corner selling a pup that looks a lot like a Goldendoodle. We've NEVER seen a dog like that here. Turns out it is a poodle/Chihuahua mix. Much begging, pleading, planning and cajoling ensued. By the time we had finished dinner, we were scouring the streets, looking for the puppy seller. That night, we came home with Zig Zag, a little boy pup who is waiting to be joined in March by #6 female, his sister from Canada. He is very sweet and is already a part of the family. We’re working on getting a dog trainer, I’m trying to read the last couple chapters of the dog behavior book and I’m remembering what it was like getting up every couple of hours at night with a baby. Peeing seems to be a sport for him - I've nicknamed him the "little big piddler" and I'm just grateful I have tile floors…..

Female #6 - arriving in March

Zig Zag - 11 weeks