After Cheddar's demise we had promised the kids that we would get them a new pet(s). Braelyn was positive she didn't want another guinea pig, as it would remind her of Cheddar, which I could understand. They had their hearts dead set on getting dwarf hamsters, since our friends Macey and Marley have some and Braelyn thought they were adorable little things. So the Sunday after July 4 we went to PetsMart to check out their inventory of dwarf hamsters; they only had 1 available, at $15 a piece. There were other hamster species available but we were told that they needed to be caged separately, as hamsters are very territorial and would tear each other to shreds if put in the same container. Nice, so now we needed to get 2 more additional containers for the hamsters.
So much for building that new hutch a few weeks ago.
But then I thought, hey, what about getting a pet rabbit? It would be soft and cuddly, and could utilize the hutch! I convinced the kids this was the direction we wanted to go, and after showing them some pictures of bunnies for sale on Craigslist, they were sold. I contacted a seller in Winter Springs and lined up an appointment to meet the following morning, so that we could purchase his pet rabbit. It seemed we were good to go.
That evening as Tangie and I drove to Disney for our anniversary dinner, she got on her phone and started researching on how to care for rabbits. It turns out that there is a lot of upkeep and maintenance for keeping a rabbit as a pet, but more so the fact that some rabbits can live upwards of up to 10 years! Tangie stated that if we were going to dedicate 10 years to a pet, it might as well be a dog. So she decided to check out the Orange County animal shelter website to see if there were any nice dogs we could adopt; we had talked with the Grodacks and they were thinking of adopting a dog for the kids sometime soon. They have a deal where you could adopt an animal, have it spaded/neutered if it wasn't already, get a microchip and pet license for $55. Plus they had them all dressed up in July 4 costumes so that made them look real cute. We discussed more in length during supper and decided I should call and cancel my appointment with the rabbit guy. We told Braelyn when we got home and she got real excited. We were going to get a dog!
The following day we had planned on visiting the shelter to see what options we had with the dog choices. But before we did that I called Seminole county to see if it was possible to get a dog from a different county. They said yes, all we had to do was buy the county license. But wait! For the month of July they were having a special for all dogs, spaded/neutered, microchip, and license for only 17 bucks! We were going to Seminole!
It was sad to see the dogs all in their cages/pens. They looked pitiful and forlorn. And it was loud and very smelly. I explained to the kids that this was what happened to animals that didn't have anyone to love them and take them home. It made them sad. We looked at all the dogs; most were large pit bulls, it seemed. And even the ones that were not pit bulls were either too big for the kids to handle, or really shed a lot. We had set certain criteria for one if we were going to adopt. First and foremost, a gentle demeanor to the kids. Our former Cocker Spaniel Zoe messed up on that one. The worker there showed us a couple of really nice and friendly dogs, but they were too strong on the leash and really shed quite a bit when we petted them.
The beagle we went to see, her name was Marley. Alas, she was too big for even Brae to control.
And she shed. A lot.
So the lady showed us these two Basset Hound/Labrador mixed dogs that were brother and sister, both having just passed tests that made them compatible and suitable for adoption. They reminded me of my Black Lab that I had as a child, only with shorter legs, hence the Basset Hound part. They were both very mild mannered and gentle with the kids, although the girl dog seemed more fearful when touched as opposed to her brother. He went to the kids and licked their hands, and seemed very comfortable around strangers. He didn't shed a lot, even as I rubbed his fur going the opposite direction. And he was only 10 months old, and only up to the knee, although he weighed a hefty 38 pounds.
The little girl dog. A little tense around the kids.
Tux just relaxed and cool as can be with Braelyn.
I texted Tangie and confirmed that this was going to be the dog, and that the children wanted him. So she gave me the go ahead and I signed the adoption papers, signing the contract and paying the $17. $17.76 with tax. He wasn't neutered yet, so they took him to the vet on Tuesday to do the procedure, and kept him overnight for observance. We were allowed to pick him up the following day on Wednesday, the kids were so excited.
Bringing him home from the vet.
Watching Kohl from upstairs.
Making fast friends.
Introduced him to the Grodack kids, just to make sure he was good with kids!
We named him Tuxedo, because he is all black with white on his chest and underbelly, like he's wearing an actual tuxedo. We've been working on the housebreaking this past week, sometimes successful, sometimes not, but improving as we try to keep consistent with the bathroom breaks. He loves to be around us, and whimpers/whines when he needs to be put away for the night; he started barking the first two nights when we left him and I had to resort to dropping an aluminum can full of marbles from the 2nd floor to make a loud noise, which would startle him. It took him a couple of nights to realize that the loud noise only came when he barked, so he stopped barking. Problem solved.
We've been learning about his breed as a Bassador, and seeing behaviors from both the Basset side and the Labrador side. The ironic thing is that Basset Hounds were bred to hunt rabbits, and we were just one day away from getting a rabbit, before deciding on getting him! The kids adore him, and even Madelyn is showing confidence in being comfortable being around him, although she prefers him not licking her. Braelyn is settling in nicely as the main care-taker, taking him out for bathroom breaks and picking up the remnants. Mommy is happy to have a walking partner too.
It's only been a week, but he seems to have settled in nicely as our newest family member.
Braelyn is smitten.
Here was our week:
Supper at Kobe's!
Always a favorite when the chef sets the grill on fire!
I bet those noodles are delicious, huh Maddy?
Getting excited and ready for her new pet!
But not before a quick dip in the pool!
Excited to get our dog!
Naptime with Tuxedo.
The girls with Nana. She came to visit us for a few days.
Attended the Take Shape For Life National Convention here in Orlando on Thursday.
Held at the Marriott World Center.
More convention meetings and workshops on Friday.
Friday evening drama club meeting.
Saturday night brought Tangie to join the celebration dinner at the convention.
With our local team of health coaches.
More of our team of health coaches.
After party!
Sushi at the Artegon Marketplace.
Going to take Kohl and Tux for a walk!
Reading to a very tired dog.
Grodack girls came over for games and ice cream.
Corn on the cob in the backyard.
Cheers!
Braelyn taking Tux on a walk.
Water play!
The twins napping with Tux.
Dinner at Winter Garden Pizza. Even Tux got to come along!
Morning in the park.
Brae cleaning her bathroom.
Good job cleaning the toilet buddy!
Riding our bikes to the pool.
Even the dark clouds didn't deter us from having fun!
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