phoebe.

Team Smallie has a new player.  Spoiler Alert:  It's a dog.  Why did Team Smallie need another dog?  Don't the coaches remember that puppies are a lot like babies? 

Phoebe Smallie.  Yes, that's the same name as every doll in our house and now it's also the name of our puppy.  Why do we have a new puppy?

So here is how this happened....

Scott: (watching tv and randomly comments) "I like that dog.  Australian Shepherd?  I'd like to have a running partner and they're good running dogs"

That's all it took.  Scott was probably just thinking out loud and never really meant that he wanted a dog, because he probably didn't, but those details aren't important.  He is married to the most obsessive person ever and his random comment, that he probably doesn't even remember saying, set the ball rolling and we all know that once I get something in my head, there's no turning back. After 13.5 years, he should know better.

So, meet Phoebe....

Awwww, isn't she cute?!

 

 I found her through an Australian Shepherd rescue group...this is a picture her first mama text me.  It took me a few months to find a good fit for us, and then a few weeks going back and forth with the owner, and then she was all mine.  I mean "ours". I mean mine.

 

We got her last weekend when she was just 6.5 weeks old.  Wittle bitty teeny thing.  (Why do puppies make me want to use baby talk?)

 

So far she's been fantastic! Australian Shepherds are known to be the smartest dogs in the world...seriously, google it...and since the Scott Smallie family is known to be the smartest family in the world, well, it just worked out.

 

 

She's a herder and loves to run.  Run Run Run.  Herd Herd Herd.

She's mastered the potty-outside-thing which has been clutch.  But it's also what has created the most work for me.  Taking her outside so often during the day and at 4 AM every morning is very time consuming...and exhausting.  I would actually much rather she just pee in the house, but since it's not an option, I spend a lot of time outside with her.  And because Scott did 90% of overnight feedings with our babies, I decided that it's probably my turn to take one for the team.  Even though he is the one that wanted this dog ;)

 

I've had at least one dog every day of my entire life (except maybe a very short run in the late 70's between Taffy and Skipper?)...but I totally forgot how much work they are.  Murphy and Buddy are 11+ years old and very self sufficient and their puppy days seem like a lifetime ago, so this past week has pretty much been a shock to my system.  Especially the 4am wake-up calls.  And adding one more name to the list has totally thrown me off.  Ex. "Does anyone know where Brady Trevor Cate Murphy Carter Bennett Parker PHOEBE is?

To my friends (Jen and Marci) who are grossed out about animals in beds, LOOK AWAY NOW!

We bought a crate for Phoebe to sleep in but.....

this is not the crate

Trevor does not need a puppy.  I repeat.  Trevor does not need a puppy.  He is not what I would consider "puppy friendly"

still not a crate

two nap Tuesday

dying from the cuteness

Parker and Phoebe sleeping exactly the same way (notice my strategically placed leg to keep Parker from rolling off the couch). 





paw on the tushy





crates are stupid anyway.



Murphy is hanging in there.  The first hour Phoebe was with us, I thought Murphy was going to eat her.  For real.  But he's rallied through and has become a great mentor :)  Until Phoebe is big enough to jump onto the couch and invade Murphy's territory...then it's probably game on.

Murphy and Parker...still BFF's

Phoebe plays hard and sleeps hard and I hope the "honeymoon" phase never wears off and she continues to be a great dog.  Fingers crossed!