New Buddy Inbound

It's been so quiet. We are getting used to a different routine, but it's just not the same without a dog. More for me than MrH, as I'm here much more, but he too has found it hard over the last few weeks, when small things make him realise there's someone missing. The morning walks, the greeting clients at the gate, and of course, if you follow me on instagram, you'll know all about the 8pm #socktime!

It won't come as a surprise.

We are moving on, because we can't be without a dog. We can still have deep feelings for our old boy - and I can assure you there have been many dips in the mood over the past few weeks - but we have news! It's one of those meant to be moments.

I've been looking on various websites, and I'm very specific. I've even contacted breeders about puppies that aren't even born yet. We want a boy, and hoped for a Red Merle Border Collie - so, like Bobby but with sandy rusty tones. Sadly, we discovered they are rarer than hens teeth and if we did locate one, they were in Yorkshire or Scotland, and cost more than a car! (Slight exaggeration, but you get the picture)

The website I had been looking on, was undergoing maintenance with lots of blips, causing breeders to delay placing their adverts, and I'd given up looking for a few days. When I re-looked, there he was! Well, there were actually THREE boy merles in one litter! They are tri-colour blue merles - so that's Bobby blue, with brown bits, and much closer - Saltash, just over the bridge into Cornwall.

Road Trip

I contacted the breeder, and you know when you get a really good feeling about someone? She sent me the three photos, and we fell in love with this one. We couldn't go to visit for a whole week, and in that time other people were viewing them. I placed a deposit - not normally done until you have seen the pup, but she was so lovely, and said if we didn't like him when we arrived, she would refund us the money. It just meant she wouldn't let anyone else see the one we wanted.

All Change

Well, things happen for reasons, and we just have to trust. We sat outside with a whole litter of eight puppies all around us - JOY! At one point we were in a pile of puppies! The one we thought looked lovely, wasn't the boldest. He certainly wasn't the first out the door, but there were eight of them so it was a bit of a free for all!

I'd say he was 'wasn't bothered'. At all. Not really timid, just not interested in us.

As you can imagine, I took lots of photos, and as I was kneeling on the ground, Chris said, 'watch out, there's one behind you!'

I turned, and there he was. looking at me with eyes like the cat from Shrek! He squeaked. I sat, and he climbed on my lap and fell asleep.

THIS was THE ONE!

I've felt that before.

The last time I felt this wave of emotion, we were bringing Bob back from Wales twelve years ago, and he sat on my lap in the car. Even though we didn't get to choose him, as he was the last merle in the litter, I knew he was meant to be here with us.

THIS was exactly the same! The breeders left us in the garden for a while so we could have a discussion.

We didn't need to discuss, I think my tears said it all.

Meet Jack

We collect him in a couple of weeks. Our lives will be turned upside down for the next year, and there's lots of garden puppy-proofing going on, but we need this. We aren't complete with out a dog, and I think Jack knew that we need him!