I’m devoting this month’s column to my new Italian Greyhound puppy, Rhymes (named after the John Denver song Rhymes and Reasons), because she is the reason I’ve had no time to come up with any other good subject!
It’s been a while since I’ve had a baby puppy to train and raise, and I have apparently suffered a complete case of amnesia since then. I completely forgot about the sleep deprivation and the mental stamina it takes to watch a puppy every minute she’s awake. It is unbelievably taxing now that I am apparently old.
Thankfully, she is incredibly smart and—though full of all the energy I wish I had myself—is learning her manners quite rapidly in between the zoomies and bounding up and down from furniture like a tiny maniac. She knows the words “No!” and “Get down!” extremely well, along with “Good girl!” and “Good potty!” And speaking of pottying, that training is going pretty well, too.
Every time she tries to bite and chew on my hands with her little needle teeth, I get one of her appropriate chewies and stuff it in her mouth after saying, “No bite!” Then we lovingly spend time cuddling while she uses those murder teeth on said chewy instead.
The house is now strewn with all the toys, and her big sister, Halsey the Whippet, has been such a nurturing doll to baby Rhymes-zy! If I’m honest, I let Halsey do most of the babysitting when they’re playing sweetly together while I simply sit back and enjoy the adorable show.
Though my body aches and I’m basically always sleep-deprived, I am thoroughly enjoying this little bundle of energy in our household. I don’t ever second-guess bringing her into our family. Puppyhood is fleeting, and I’m determined to squeeze every ounce of puppy bliss out of these precious months.
Now, if I can just get her to understand that she can’t fly.
