by RADF
on 3/5/2010 at 2:10 PM
in Daily life
Who knew that two little fur balls could wiggle into our hearts so quickly? And we are most definitely in love with Ozzy (our 3 month old Eng-a-poo [English Toy Spaniel and Poodle mix]) & Lulu (our 8 month old Shichon [Shi Tzu and Bichon Frise mix]).
Let me go back a year -- we rent an apartment and weren't allowed to have dogs until new management took over. I had been wanting a puppy ever since my sister-in-law got her Chihuahua, Nahli, but we had certain parameters that had to be met: 1) small dog (the weight limit at the apartment is 25 lbs. and I wanted something I could carry around with me); 2) low shedding/mostly hypoallergenic (my step-daughter has allergies that lead to asthma attacks); and 3) must have a good disposition (we don't like yappy, snappy dogs).
So I started researching. I searched through all the different pure breeds and the designer mixes and found that a Shichon (1/2 shi tzu and 1/2 bichon frise) matched all of our requirements and was adorable to boot. There was so much to think about - rescue vs. breeder. I couldn't find what I was looking for at the rescues (and I looked for about 3 months).
Then because I have heard so much about puppy mills and the horrible things that happen there, I started looking for a "good" breeder.
Finally, I found a picture of the cutest puppy. The breeder was in central PA (about 4 hours away from where I live). I contacted her and found out it was a family operation. They had been breeding puppies for more than 15 years and they were certified by the state.
So last August, we went to pick up our little Lulu. The kennel will not ship puppies which is good because it gives you the chance to see their operation first hand. It was clean and bright. The puppies all come with first shots, worming and a one year health certificate. Since day 1, Lulu has been a complete joy - outgoing, friendly, loves people and other animals. We think she's perfect.
Fast forward to Christmas - my stepdaughter, Meagan, who lives with us while she is going to school, went to her mother's for the month. So while my husband & I worked, Lulu was home alone. She would pout when we left in the mornings. Since she was alone all day she mostly slept. Then when we got home she was a wild child - running around and wanting to play late into the evening. That is when we decided to get a 2nd puppy to keep her company.
We were thinking about getting one sometime this summer, but then we saw Ozzy on the breeder's website. He is a cutie, but he has an issue. The breeder was very forthcoming and said that he has a "mild" case of luxating patella. Well, it seemed like this little guy needed a home. So we went to get him Valentine's Day weekend. He was very shy at first and Lulu wasn't too sure what to think of him. But now they are the best of friends. She loves having him to play with during the day and Ozzy is coming out of his shell. He runs and jumps and plays like nothing is wrong with his knees at all.
Now that you have the background, my next blog can be about how cute they are and how great it is to be their human.
Till then-R
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