GETTING READY FOR BESSIE

B-Day minus 5

I am thinking about the arrival in 5 Days of Bessie – a tiny 9 week old black female toy poodle puppy.  It occurs to me that choosing a puppy is a bit like an arranged marriage.  The research has been done and on paper we should be compatible.  Each of us with something to offer the other.  On the human (my) side a devoted owner, strict disciplinarian (well mostly), loyal, loving, keen on cuddles, in it for the long run.  On the dog (Bessie’s) a very sweet tiny fluffy appearance, intelligence, keen on cuddles, loyal, loving, in it for the long run.  So far so good.  We have met twice and held hands under the watchful eye of the chaperone (Bessie’s breeder).  But will we fall in love?  Time will tell.

B-Day minus 4

Equipment is clearly needed so many happy hours are spent cruising around web sites in search of the perfect puppy pen, carrier for the car and the all-important bed.  Since I have always had considerably larger dogs I find it hard to imagine that the very smallest size of everything will suffice.  But after much measuring and mind-changing, the ’submit order’ button is pressed and I await delivery. 

B-Day minus 2

And I wait. Nothing arrives when it should and when it does, I am out.   Many phone calls later and a trip to one of the courier’s depot (why can’t the order be sent in one go using one courier?) I have one of the four packets, another arrives unexpectedly by post and the third and fourth eventually show up by yet another courier containing completely the wrong puppy pen in two much-too-heavy-to-lift containers.  A very irate clenched-teeth phone call later, Parcel Force collect them.

B-Day Minus 1

Panic is beginning to set in –  I am fixating on the lack of a puppy pen.  Apocalyptic thoughts of puppy electrocution from chewing wires, poisoning by loo cleaner, suffocation by sofa cushions, being crushed underfoot, all are the stuff of my waking nightmares – by now I am convinced that a horrific fate awaits my beautiful little puppy.  But after more telephoning I get in the car and drive several miles to a pet supermarket and buy a puppy pen.  It’s not the right one but it’s a puppy pen.  It’s been erected, the furniture has been re-arranged to accommodate it, the little (tiny) bed has been placed inside and several (tiny) toys have carefully placed temptingly around.  I am calm.  All I need now is Bessie.