Puppy Update.

Sahara settled down nicely after a day or two at the dog minders whilst I was away; and even ended up sleeping in bed with Maggie, the lovely lady who took care of her. Phoenix had some time to himself at home, and both were overjoyed to see me return. Sahara is slowly improving, although not exactly in the leaps and bounds I'd hoped for. It was quite depressing watching fly-ball and agility trials at the Pet Expo I ended, as she was coming along so nicely for both before she injured herself. Still, she absolutely LOVES hydrotherapy - to the point where she starts squealing in anticipation the moment she knows we're heading for the pool. Once we arrived, the barking starts, and doesn't stop until she literally launches herself into the pool. Phoenix, on the other hand, doesn't float so well, and as he doesn't appreciate getting wet I have to somewhat manhandle him into said pool. He inevitably sinks, and has to wear a highly attractive, fluorescent yellow doggy life jacket, which he is deeply offended by.

Both are loving the smells on me when I come home from helping with the emergency shifts at the RSPCA due to the bushfire crisis, and they get squeezed awfully hard each and every time I come home - it's heartbreaking seeing all the beautiful pups who will never get the chance to be loved like they should, and so I always make sure my two get extra long cuddles when I get home.

Since Chef & I broke up, Sahara sleeps in my bed with me in the spare room - I'm slowly getting accustomed to the fact she is taking over that as well as my life in general, and wake up on a tiny sliver of bed with paws in my back as she stretches herself out comfortably across the sheets. I've been working her quite gently at dog training, but she's in desperate need of being told who's boss at certain times. She does, however, act extremely angelic when she comes with me to Cam's for the day; she gets thoroughly overexcited to see Cameron but eventually sits quite quietly on her bed once she settles down. It must be pretty hard for Cam; gaining a ready-made family like my own and having to put up with not only my two kids, but Sarah's three as well when we head back to his for a beer after training.

Sarah's new puppy, Ruby, is an American Staffy X Ridgeback, and is absolutely gorgeous. One day she's going to be bigger than all of our lot, and she appears to know it. After their first meeting of snarling and growling and Sahara exerting her dominance; both get on extremely well. We did wonder, as Sahara's the only girl dog in our pack and loves it that way.

I still have my dreams of one day having a beautiful purebred White German Shepherd of my very own, and can't seem to keep my eyes off of Neigepearl Shepherds and their current litters. Oh, to have my own house and a man that accepts me for wanting a large family!
As it is, I'm on two lists awaiting animals to be temporarily fostered through the bush-fire period, which shall be fairly heartbreaking but rewarding as most will be coming to me injured or orphaned from the fires.