Fur Babies

10 years ago, my husband (then, fiancé’) and I brought home our first baby.  His name is Jake.  He is a miniature schnauzer.  He was a tiny little thing.  We were told that minis usually maxed out around the 12 lb level and we were as ready as we could be.

He was a handful!  He could convince anyone that he was asleep on them, so that they wouldn’t move – such a cuddle bug.   He figured out how to get out of his kennel (by dismantling it from the inside).

We had vet visits for all sorts of food-related things.  Once, he ate an entire pork chili roast.  Another time, a neighbor child fed him food scraps – that were ROTTEN!  He had a hospital stay from that one.  Aside from an incident where he licked a pole – in the middle of winter – IN ALASKA  (He lost part of his tongue!!!), he was fairly low maintenance.   He didn’t stay 12 lbs though.  He ended up averaging 20.  That worked for us, since he started off in Maryland end then went with us to Alaska.  He needed some bulk.

Five years later, when we discovered that we were unlikely to be able to have children naturally, I really was itching to expand our family and, SOMEHOW, convinced Hubby that it was a good idea to get another schnauzer.

I did my research, and despite many warnings against females, I found Carolina.  She was a new puppy, from a breeder in Maryland.  I should have known, when I met her relatives and saw their high-energy personalities, that she would be higher maintenance than Jake ever was.

Her separation anxiety was also evident immediately.  She rose in my lap from the breeder to my parents’ house after I picked her up.  It was a long ride, and even longer since she cried the entire way.  She couldn’t be left alone, and had to be touching someone.  That poor baby wasn’t ready to move away from home.

When she met my husband, it was love at first sight.  The two of them are definitely attached.

I admit, she was a cutie pie!

Now, those cute babies are two grown schnauzers… one is 10 years old and the other is 5.  Carolina is 30+ lbs and Jake is 20.

And… we definitely could have human babies.

Thankfully, the fur babies, and the human babies get along VERY well!

Jake has arthritis, so long walks don’t work for him, but the kids are happy to share a spot in the stroller with him.

Jake isn’t  fan of crazy kids when they are awake, but he finds many opportunities to get cuddles with them when they are sleeping.  So sweet!

I suppose that actually goes for both of the pups.  They are also very protective of “our” kids.  Jake will even step in to stop my husband when he thinks they are playing too rough.

The love is obvious.

I complain that Carolina is a “Sausage-Dog” (she really does have a food-addiction) and I half-tease that I am tempted to get her voice box removed (I wouldn’t dare – too mean… but by golly, if you heard her, you’d understand the temptation,) but she is a good dog.  She is loyal. She is loving.  And… she is definitely attached.

And Jake, well, he’s the best dog I’ve ever known.  He is protective, and trusting and loyal and calm.  He is amazing with the kids, and shows patience that far outshines my own.  I do adore my furbabies!

It’s a good thing we adore them, too.  Last month, the vet noticed a cracked tooth during a yearly checkup on Jake, and he required surgery and $1700 in dental bills.  Then… when we started brushing BOTH dogs’ teeth, we found a cracked tooth on Carolina.  $1600 for that girl.  I’m not throwing the numbers around for any reason other than to express that furbabies aren’t just cute and fun and loyal, but they can also be expensive (you know, just in case this adoring post tempts someone to get a puppy.)

All said and done… I couldn’t have asked for a better little family!  

And that is my cuteness overload for the day!