Life long Cat owner just got dogs. What have we done?

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Landroger
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2016 1:05 pm

Life long Cat owner just got dogs. What have we done?

Post by Landroger »

My mates have been nagging me to 'get a dog' ever since I retired last July. While I was not averse to a dog in principle, I have had cats (usually plural and once or twice; in triplicate) in my life since I was about four. Who knew from dogs?

The last couple of weeks have been almost traumatic. The campaign my mates have mounted - I am still an active Scout Leader and so are my so called 'mates' :roll: - came to a head over Easter weekend and they more or less trapped me into registering with Battersea Dogs & Cats because of a rather nice 14 month old Beagle called Marley. My wife and daughter liked him too and so we went. Not so fast buddy, came the stern reply. While we were deemed 'suitable cases for treatment', Marley, it seemed, needed not only 'experienced dog owners', but experienced Beagle owners! Epic fail.

Staffie's could be had in droves, but a Dachshund - the favourite of my mates - was rarer than rocking horse poo. Then we looked more closely at Dachshunds - I had met an adorable Tan Dachshund in Johannesburg a few years ago - and found they had back problems. Or at least they might have, given the steepness and height of our stairs. Then 'er indoors and my daughter were down at our local 'Pets at Home' - because of something for the cats (we have two) - and asked the staff if there were any small dogs they knew about. They explained that they shouldn't really do this, but.... A gentleman left this flyer only this morning. Two, ten month old La Chon pups - brothers, same litter, neutered, chipped, vaccinated, all the bits; for sale - family circumstance changed irretrievably.

What was a La Chon for goodness sake? The internet said; 'a fur ball about yea big, with a nice personality and ideal for first time dog owners'. We went to see them. Big mistake if you have any intentions of not buying them! They were adorable. After an hour and a half, we said we needed to talk about it - we hadn't bargained for two and so on - but I was due to go to camp with my Scouts for a long weekend. This was Thursday evening. I couldn't get back until Monday afternoon. We worried about it all night and then worried that someone else would see them and fall for them too. I called the owner at 09:00 Friday morning and said 'Yes!'

Fortunately the contractor finished replacing our garden fence blown down by storm Katie, just as the 'boys' bounded into the garden on Tuesday afternoon. How do dog owners without a Land Rover and a trailer cope when they need to move kennels and dogs and stuff? As is well known, all dogs love Land Rovers, so that wasn't a problem. :)

Three and a half days and a very steep learning curve later, 'er indoors and daughter have gone to bed and I am in the living room typing this, with two knackered La Chons fast asleep around me. Hopefully tonight they will sleep through, as they nearly did last night and the cats will get braver still and actually be a yard away from them both when they aren't spark out! :roll:

In case anyone wanted to know, they need grooming - a lot - and their names are Barnaby and Rockoe. It might end in tears, but we are already very, very fond of them.

Landroger
Fundog
Posts: 3874
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:31 am
Location: A little gambling town in the high desert

Re: Life long Cat owner just got dogs. What have we done?

Post by Fundog »

Hi. Welcome to the forum, and congratulations on your new family members. :)
If an opportunity comes to you in life, say yes first, even if you don't know how to do it.
Suzette
Posts: 1518
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2011 6:45 am

Re: Life long Cat owner just got dogs. What have we done?

Post by Suzette »

Okay, never heard of a La Chon before so I had to go and look these cuties up. Ahh... a cross between a Lhasa Apso and a Bichon Frise. Makes sense. :D

Super cute, that's for sure! Congratulations and good luck with your new furry friends. I am sure they will keep you on your toes for the next year (or so)! :D
My avatar is Piper, my sweet Pembroke Corgi. b. 5/11/11
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