Last week we had a new addition to our tribe in the form of a Springer Spaniel Beagle cross pup called Bonnie.
The plan was to wait it out and start looking for a new dog maybe at some point early next year. As it turns out that was a crap plan and I really had underestimated the difference a dog makes to my health.
Since losing Fudge last September my physical and mental health has nosedived. I am just a much better human when I have a dog around!
So, last week I had a ping on my phone and saw a post from a guy who was fairly local and who was having to find a new home for his dog. Not her fault or his, unfortunately his very young daughter had allergies so it just wasn’t working out.
I messaged him and told him all about us. I had everything crossed as I had obviously already fallen for her photo. In my defence it would have been hard not to.
A few hours later we were on our way to meet them both. Now, I had not intended to take Bonnie home the same day. I was just going to go along and see her in person (in dog?) and generally just see whether we were a good match.
It is pretty common knowledge that I have little patience at the best of times and zero chill whatsoever when it comes to dogs. As soon as I saw her I was sold.
Her (previous) owner suggested we go for a walk and over the course of the next half an hour told me all about Bonnie and how clearly gutted he was to be having to find her a new home.
Next stop, home!
Needless to say there was never any doubt in my mind where Bonnie belonged. She simply had to come home with me and luckily her previous owner agreed!
Over the course of the last week we have learnt so much about Bonnie
Things she loves :
- Cheese
- Sleeping
- Water
- All of the treats
- Snuggling on the sofa
- Rubbing herself against hedges as we walk
- A stuffed Pheasant we have named Clucky
- Very long walks
- Other dogs
Things she definitely does not love:
- Birds
- Cats
- Being brushed (it’s a mitt which she just about tolerates)
- Sleeping in.
- The magnetic dog gate (which worked for 15yrs with Fudge) which Bonnie pushed down within 5 minutes in a very indignant fashion
In the last week we have only had 1 very early morning wake up call where she started howling and crying at 4am. She hasn’t done it since though so hopefully it was a one off.
Bonnie is absolutely the dog I had pictured when I was missing company. She follows me everywhere and is such a sweet girl. We have already broken our no dogs on the sofa rule. She doesn’t shed too much and she is very good to cuddle up to in the evenings. The rule was stupid anyway..
On the plus side for me, my step count has soared! We go all over the place and it’s going to be so much fun to take her to the beach and to other places further afield. I am already making lists of dog friendly places local to us.
I cannot wait to introduce her to her doggy cousins Bonzo and Rosie! We are off to the dog park during the week to let them run wild (ish) and I know she is going to love it!
Bonnie worked previously in a school helping the children with anxiety and I think (especially with her being a lockdown pup) that this has really helped with her socialisation.
I honestly feel like I have won the doggy lottery!
