Dog tales.

Cooper will be 13 weeks old tomorrow and I can not even believe how much and how fast he’s grown.  I haven’t had a puppy in 23 years and apparently I was drunk a lot back then (I totally was)  because I do not remember this “Holy cow, did he grow while we were sleeping?  He did!” thing.  He started out at about 9 pounds when we got him.  This week at the vet he topped up at 25.8.  His legs are HUGE and the feet?  I really think we’re going to end up with a MUCH bigger dog than we originally expected.  We have had to up his feedings a couple of times, the suggested feedings for his size weren’t even close to being enough for him.

Nothing but trouble.

Nothing but trouble.

He’s had his first vaccine boosters and is ready to hit puppy kindergarten.  I’m not sure where the best place for us will be, I plan to start looking around this weekend, do you guys have any suggestions?  He’s super well tempered..very patient and a quick learner.  He’s got lots of commands down and walks very well on a leash.  He’s very well socialized since he’s out all day with me running around or is hanging out at work with his dad, which he LOVES.  They say every dog needs a job, and boy is that true.  He loves to go!   What we need most is socialization with other dogs and scary things, like you know…trucks and birds.  All birds.

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Nothing but feet and legs.

 

He’s sleeping a lot less now than he did as a baby baby.  Much more active and busy, which is fun. (I’m lying, omg where is the dog Prozac?)  He’ll take a few cat naps here and there, a big nap in the late afternoon and then goes down for the night around 8ish.

He’s also discovered the game of crying at the door to go out and then just playing once you get him out there.  He wants sticks.  All the sticks.

The stick he cried 15 minutes for.

The stick he cried 15 minutes for.

Sometimes he’ll settle for a stalk of dead grass.  He’s not picky.

Overall, he’s doing great, growing like a weed and making us proud doggie parents.

Waiting patiently for the bus to bring Sissy home.

Waiting patiently for the bus to bring Sissy home.

And Scarlet still hates him.

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We also made sure we got pet insurance for him.  Most pet insurance doesn’t cover well-pet checkups, regular vaccines and such, but do cover 80% of sick/injured visits, which can be huge.  One swallowed Bratz doll or God forbid, him getting hit by a car could have us looking at surgery and recovery that costs thousands.

Unfortunately, many families end up facing what’s called financial euthanasia…having to put their pet to sleep because the cost of treatment and recovery is too great.  Pet insurance, like any other, is paying a premium with the hopes that you’ll never need it, but it’s a huge help if you do.  A basic policy for a healthy pet can cost anywhere from $25-$50 per month.  Your vet can give you names of companies that they recommend, but always do a little foot work yourself.  Check out reviews from other pet owners online and see how their claims were handled and how they were treated.

 

 

 

 

Allyson Sorenson

About Allyson Sorenson

Bangor mom. BDN blogger. Volvo lover. Coffee drinker.