Meet Woodhouse

We got a new dog last weekend. I should say Seth got a new dog last weekend. I wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of a new dog, because I'm the one home all day taking care of Patrick as is, and soon a little baby, but Seth has been wanting a big dog to run with since we moved to Washington. I kept telling him no because we lived in the townhome, didn't have a backyard and I was not going to be responsible for walking a small dog, a big dog and loading up an infant multiple times a day to go for potty breaks (likely in the rain). I was perfectly content with it being me, Patrick and soon to be baby. It was quiet, we cuddled a lot, everything was going fine and dandy and Patrick is well behaved.


Enter Easter weekend when we go visit my aunt and gramma. They had found a stray puppy a few weeks prior. My aunt had contacted the animal shelters around her to see if anyone reported a missing dog. No one had. He's pretty young, probably 4-5 months, looks to be a mix of Australian Shepherd and Collie, very clumsy, still has baby teeth and is potty trained. Seth fell in love with him immediately and spent most of the day playing with him. He even named him Woodhouse shortly (we call him Woody for short) after meeting him when he wasn't even "our" dog yet. My aunt knew Seth wanted him badly. The Friday after Easter, we drove to my aunt's house and oh hi, we have a new dog. YAYYYYY.


Today, all I've done is listened to the dogs bark (3 solid hours this morning), shut the office door to tune them out, but it's not nearly enough. I give them treats to reward them for being quiet, and then they resume barking. The neighbors are installing a fence today so there is a lot of extra, new noises and that's what's causing all this commotion with them. They get along well about 85% of the time, but Woody knows Patrick HATES his ears nipped at, so that's the first place he goes and it gets Patrick riled up. Then Patrick gets all feisty and snarls and chases after him, but Woody likes it. Deep down Patrick loves it too, and he loves a playmate, but frequently I hear a little yelp from Patrick and have to tell them to calm down. Then they don't. And I get frustrated. Woody gets running so fast in the house, they chase each other up the stairs, down the stairs, around the table, in circles in the living room, in and out of the office into the hallway, up on the couch...I'm just waiting for Woody to fly through the living room window (he runs so fast he can't stop in time so he jumps on top of the couch which is right in front of the window) or for something to crash and break to the floor.


I would be lying if I said I didn't miss the quiet days of Patrick napping and quietly playing with his toys all by himself and being all cute and quiet and calm.They don't share toys too well right now so toys are off limits and I'm slowly incorporating them back. (I gave them one over the weekend and Woody broke it within seconds).


I hope this dog turns out to be good for our family. I have no idea what he's like with kids, but I hope he is good with them, especially infants. We definitely have to work on his rambunctiousness, because he certainly can't be running around the house like he currently does when a baby is playing on the floor. He seems like he'll be protective, but I don't want him to be too protective that no one can get near us or the baby without him getting angry. He is definitely Seth's dog (he usually pees an excited pee when Seth gets home from work), but he doesn't leave my side throughout the day. He lays right by my computer chair, if I go to the bathroom, him and Patrick follow me and watch me pee and when I shower, he's on the bathroom floor. 


There is so much testosterone running through our house these days, Lord help me.

 (don't let these pictures of them being calm fool you. they are very rambunctious together)