 |
| Photo by PartlySunny |
Time for a Jasper update. Since we got our puppy five weeks ago, he’s gained about nine pounds and weighs almost half as much as Elfie. The little fluff ball I used to be able to tote around like a clutch purse is more like an unruly sack of potatoes. He’s no longer a “baby” — we finally started leaving him alone, but since we’re completely unorganized and unprepared, we actually had to put our other dog’s tags on him just in case he got out (our other dog was Uno, who died last year). It was one of those bittersweet moments, like when we gave Jasper all of Uno’s old toys.
We seem to have turned a corner this weekend, but the past month definitely hasn’t been all fun and games. Jasper’s a sweet, smart dog, but at least twice a day, our house turns into a freak show with a crazy, Tasmanian Devil in the center ring. Take last weekend, for example. . .
We were at my aunt’s house, and my 21-year-old cousin and his friends ended up getting the puppy all riled up. Jasper was in super-happy fun land, running through a kiddy pool, eating beer cans, and getting away with basically everything due to his cuteness.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_Vn–Q_q-E]
Then he crossed the line. Normally Elfie can grab him and take him down when he’s all hyped up. She’s had to practice, and she’s gotten a fair number of bites and scratches, but she’s good at it. She has to be — she’s the smallest in the family, and Jasper is gunning for her spot.
So in his crazy, testosterone fueled state, Jasper jumped Elfie and grabbed onto her hand. And didn’t let go.
I should say that he didn’t let go right away. It was a second longer than his normal bite, he was super spazzy, and she started flipping out. Not that I blame her. I — incredibly — managed to react with normal parental speed and ran over to get her. I say this because usually I stand there for at least a few seconds like I’m watching a movie or something.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfYnD2f9Hm0]
Elfie ended up disliking Jasper for one whole evening and not even wanting to ride in the car with him. Not that I blamed her.
Fortunately for Jasper, Elfie’s hair is significantly longer than her memory.
Tammy Soong is a writer, wife, and mom from Reno, Nevada. She takes an absurd amount of pain medication, but not enough to have actually named her children "Newt" and "Elfie." She spends most days stressing out over clutter, writing stuff for this place, and working on podcasts with her gal pals, the Blogging Betties.
Long story, but Spanky got a leg caught in the doggie door when she was four months old, & I stupidly went to grab her. She chomped on my left thumb wouldn't let go. Panic took over. Mom, thinking more clearly, threw a towel over her head and took her foot out, after which she (Spanky, not Mom) let go and walked off, calm as can be. Spanky will be four later this month and my thumb is still not normal. Six punctures by needle-like puppy teeth….and no doubt she's forgotten all about it.