we got a new pet!

[recycling goddess]

okay... i vowed NEVER to get a dog... and then i met annabella. i melted on the spot and fell deeply in love immediately!

dave and i discussed it on the way home and i called a friend to assist with making the decision (since i didn't want to do the wrong thing and my head was spinning cause i was so excited)... so when we came home we knew we were going to bring her home... well we sat the kids down and told them... our son was jumping up and down with GREAT excitement and our daughter (8) she burst into tears... immediately... and looked at me and said, "they are tears of joy mom, they are!"

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh that confirmed it for me even more... i know the kids have wanted a dog soooooo bad but the look on their faces said it all for me.

we all got into the car and went to pick up our new pup!

so... here's our new little addition. she's a bernese mountain dog cross with malamute. 8 weeks old.

oh and her name... annabella jasmine tou tou





and her first ride in the wheelbarrow!

[lillyorchid]

Awwww Aleesha she is ADORABLE! Gotta love that puppy smell. I'm sure she will bring years of love, happiness, and smiles to you and your family!

[Monty]

awwwww cute pupppy!!!! congrats!!!!!

[frankykeno]

Oh Aleesha she's gorgeous and what a lovely mix of two great breeds. When she's a bit bigger you should get her a proper pulling harness (one made specifically for working dogs - a racing harness is for light, fast work, a freight harness is for heavier, slower pulls). They actually make a puppy harness as well if you're interested.

Both of those breeds love, love, LOVE to work under harness and have a "job" to do. Burmese Mountain Dogs are considered a draft breed that also herds and guards and with her Mal blood, she'll be a natural worker. Hauling groceries, gardening wagons, pulling the kid's around in sleds....that's heaven for those breed types. We had a lab/husky cross years ago and she adored working under harness (we used a freight harness as she was doing mostly slow, steady work not racing).

Congrats on the new lovely baby!

[recycling goddess]

thanks everyone!

jo,

i already have a pull-harness for her. a friend gifted me one a few years ago... although i never knew why i kept it as i didn't have a dog LOL but i did, and know i have the dog to go with the harness

i just put her down for the night into her crate. she howled and barked and carried on for about 10 minutes and now she's quietly sleeping. i am all for crate training... and i know within a couple of days she'll be loving her 'den'.

we are all so thrilled with her!

[Shelby]

Wow when you get a dog, you go big! Everyone at my work (grooming) loooves bernese mountain dogs. They're awesome, always well behaved. Best of luck with her, she's gorgeous.

[Purrrfect9]

i am all for crate training... and i know within a couple of days she'll be loving her 'den'.

we are all so thrilled with her!

I agree with you on crate training. It's nice now that my dogs are a little older now, and you don't have to fight them into a crate when you need to take them some where. But when my little cousins come over when I baby sit them, and the dogs have had enough excitement for the time being, they know that they have their own 'safe place' to go to when they need to relax, lol.

[recycling goddess]

thanks april. one of my friend's breeds berners... has for years and my hubby has always wanted one... so when we found out she was 1/2 berner... we were hooked

her frame seems to me to be more malamute... but our vet will tell us for sure. she's scheduled for her first shots monday at 11:15. i called them on the way home with our new pup... they don't work weekends... so i'm happy to wait a few days. we just aren't taking her to the park till she gets her shots, so her exercise will have to be kept to our own yard till then.

this dog really is a dream come true for my hubby and kids... they are all so happy. i'm a bit overwhelmed as i know the training is up to me... and housetraining is hard work... but i'm hopeful it'll go smoothly *fingers crossed*

[Shelby]

Well the big dog breeds like that are much easier to housetrain than the toy breeds.. that's for sure. Crate training does wonders too.

[recycling goddess]

when we had gemini... border collie cross with husky... he trained with no effort at all. honestly, he pretty much trained himself. i'm very hopeful she does the same.

no accidents in the house so far today, so that pleases me greatly. we have had her outside most of the day though (since we got home) playing with her and letting her get to know us.

*accepting quick 'n easy housetraining vibes*