Meet Gizmo - our new baby! He's a pure bred Shih Tzu and will be 7 weeks old tomorrow. He is a Valentine's baby. Isn't he a little darling?
We have been looking to get a puppy for a while and almost had ourselves convinced to get a Basset Hound pup a couple of weeks ago (we had also talked about a Maltese - since Brandon grew up around them). But we decided it was too expensive and since we'll be moving in just a few months, maybe better to wait until we have a yard. UNLESS the right puppy came along at the right price.
Enter Gizmo. On Wednesday, while signing in at my school that morning, I noticed a flyer with the most adorable puppy pictures on it and a phone number. I asked our school secretary if she knew who was selling and was told to talk to our assistant principal, Lina. So I went to my classroom/trailor (yeah, we're in a portable), emailed Lina, and sent Brandon an early-morning text saying I may have found us a puppy - for a really good price. I was told at first that he was a maltese/shih tzu mix (the Maltese part got Brandon's attention). I talked to Lina around 9:30 and was informed that the puppies were actually pure bred shih tzus and that she was selling them for her father, who just happened to be coming to the school for lunch and could bring the puppies for me and some other teachers to see.
I went back to my room, sent Brandon a message on the computer and warned him that I may be in danger of falling in love with one once I see him. Brandon says he knew then that I was coming home with a puppy. :D Lina's dad brought them to the school and let them out in an empty room. My baby came right up to me, crawled up in my lap, and started giving me puppy kisses. It was love at first lick! I called Brandon right then and there, told him I was in love and he would be too. He said that he guessed there was nothing we could do then except bring him home! I mean, who could
really say "no" to a face like this?
So we found a nice empty box, lined it with paper and an old jacket from the bottom of the school's lost-and-found closet, buckled the box into the front seat of my car, and I carted little Gizmo off to my next school. He slept most of the day (when he wasn't being adored by every teacher at the school). He even slept through my rowdy and
loud Kinder class!
Brandon finally got to meet him that afternoon, and has, of course, fallen for Gizmo too. He is a very good daddy to our little guy. It's sweet to watch them. I love my boys!
Since Wednesday, Gizmo has been the (almost) perfect little pup. We've decided to crate train him, and he stays in there all night without crying or piddling or worse! We've had a few piddle spots on the carpet, but he's not old enough to have full control of his bladder yet, so it's ok. He's still a baby-thing. He's picking some things up quickly though. His favorite toy is his Squeaky Duck (a tiny little plush thing with a replaceable squeaker) and last night he figured out how to make it squeak and did it again for Brandon today. He is also figuring out that he has his own toy built-in toy - yep, this afternoon I caught him trying to chase his tail.
Trying is the key word here, though, because he's still in the clumsy-puppy stage and hasn't learned how to turn around that much without collapsing in a heap of fluff. :D
I'm attaching a couple more pictures of Gizmo in his favorite spot - he LOVES to lay/play/sleep on his back! He went to sleep in my arms right after I took these. So far all we have are phone pics, but I'm charging up the real camera's battery so I can hopefully get some good shots tomorrow. Enjoy!
Lots o' love,
Melanie, Brandon, and Gizmo
