Doggy Daydream

So I've discovered that having a puppy is almost like having a baby. No one tells you exactly what you are in for. Sure you get the "Having a dog is a LOT of work" comment, and "Why would you do that? That'll really tie you down!" comments. But the only two people who were truly honest with me about how the first few days, weeks and months would be, were my co-workers, Cheryl and Will who have a 10 month old puppy named Bosco.
I have a few friends who have babies, and many of them have said that no one really prepared them for how hard breastfeeding would be. I like to use that analogy when talking about getting a puppy. No one really tells you that you'll be up every hour of the night to take her outside for a pee. No one really tells you how immediately you attach to this little creature. No one really tells you how her whining is heart-wrenching. And no one really tells you how you life suddenly orbits around hers.
Will and Cheryl were completely honest with me. With Bosco, in order to housebreak him, they woke him up every hour and took him outside for a pee. Will trained him rigorously, and Cheryl was on the verge of a meltdown when the puppy challenged her Alpha status.
Having this in mind, we were strict with Zoe from the very first moment she was home. We introduced her to the crate, and every time she went to take a nap, we would put her in there. During the night, we've had her segregated to our bathroom, with her crate and food and newspaper, with a barrier across the door so that she can't chew up anything in the house, or have an accident wherever she chooses. I'm not going to lie, the first night was really rough! Zoe woke us up at 1am, 3am, 4am, and again at 6am. By that time, we were somewhat awake and zombiefied. But, as short on sleep as we were, we were still completely in love.
The next day, we tried to get her accustomed to the collar and leash, which she still resists occasionally, and scratches at her collar. She walked into her crate of her own accord, which we praised her lavishly for. That night was pretty brutal however, as I had to work a double shift the next day, and Mike had to work as well. We put her to bed around 10:30pm, and she woke up at 1am and 3am, which Mike got up with her for. And at 4am, it was my turn. I took her out for a pee, and then brought her inside. We are now starting to realize that taking her out for a walk doesn't wear her out. She comes back from being outside, and rips up the house. She starts running around, sliding on the laminate floor, playing with her toys, and chewing on everything... including me.
So, at 4am, she comes inside, and it takes me almost an hour to settle her down again. By this time, I was already preparing to get up at 5:20am to get ready for work, and take her out (just in case she didn't get me up already). So I crawled back into bed for a meager 20 minutes before I got up and dragged my tired ass around.
The lack of sleep though has been the only downside. When I came home from work that day, I got the best welcome home I'd ever received. And while I feel like I'm constantly repeating myself, and talking to myself, I'm in it for the eventual dog that she will become.

Lost My Boyfriend to a Puppy Named Zoe

So after my last post, I was feeling somewhat relieved and saddened by our experience with the puppy we'd dubbed "Toby." (I keep being told not to use this name since we never really had the dog, and may want to use it in the future :P) We carried on about our business, Mike working full time as usual as a Sonographer, and me trying to pick up the pieces of my classes, and pick up as many shifts at the hospital in the glamorous dishroom as possible.
We had kinda decided that after such a heartbreaking experience with "Toby" we really would wait til we had the time, and wouldn't be disappointed again. I pledged to not look at Kijiji until May... However, that of course didn't happen.
During this week, Mike again was looking on Kijiji at puppy ads and came across an ad for a Schnoodle (a cross between a poodle and Schnauzer) litter in Moncton. He was planning on going to PEI next weekend because his brother and sister-in-law are due to have their baby. He decided to write to the woman and arrange to meet with her to have a look at the puppies on his way back that Sunday night.
Friday night, I'm waiting to start my shift at work, sipping my Tim's Tea, and Mike calls me. The breeder was apparently shipping one of the puppies on a flight to Newfoundland on Saturday, and was willing to bring the puppy we were interested in for us to have a look! We thought this was a stroke of luck, and would be a much better situation than Mike potentially driving home with a puppy by himself.
One of our reservations with Toby was the fact that he was white, and that he was male. When we originally started looking at dogs, we liked the idea of having a multi-colored dog (preferably black or brown) and that it be a female (I didn't want any little penis' hanging around :P) From the pictures in the ad, there were two black puppies. One was a male and all black. The other was a female, black with one white paw, and a white chin. We decided to tell the breeder to bring her for us to have a look at her.
When we drove up to the Air Canada cargo bay, as soon as the breeder opened the sliding door to her van, this little black face poked out, and I knew we would be taking her home!

So this is our little girl Zoe. So far she's been an excellent little girl. Hasn't had an accident in the house (although we've only had her for about 8 hours now, but I'm staying positive!) and we are slowly crate training her, and she's quite the little suck, been trying to climb onto my lap for some pets and lovin!
I'm happy to report a positive note to the last post, and we are quite happy with this sweet little girl. We took her out for a pee about an hour ago, Mike carrying her to the outside door, and he looks at me and says, "I'm in love!" So I guess I'm now even lower on the Mike-love list, coming after a dog and a BMW! I can't complain though, my life is pretty damn good!

Puppy Love

So Mike and I have finally decided that the next move in our relationship is to get a puppy! We've been casually looking for some time now, however I've said that with the coming busy-ness in my life what with school finishing, my dear friend Erin's wedding, my solo art show, my parents coming to visit AND now finding out I'm in the Graduation Exhibition, that the best time for a dog should be AFTER all of this.
So last weekend, Mike is casually looking in the pet section on Kijiji... and happens to come across the most adorable puppy ever

He is a mix of a Scottish Terrier and Poodle (a Scottie-poo or Scoodle). I'd already seen many puppy ads Mike had shown me, but for some reason, this little guy really got to me! I have allergies and asthma so we need a dog that has a mix of poodle in it. We were originally looking at Goldendoodles and Labradoodles, but weren't sure if a larger dog would fit into our condo lifestyle. We began looking at smaller dogs, and needless to say, this little guy seemed perfect!
After Saturday and Sunday hoping I'd come home from work to find that Mike had surprised me with a new little puppy (and being disappointed) and after much humming and hawing and convincing each other, we decided to start up a conversation with the breeder.
Sunday night we arranged to drive all the way to Sheet Harbor to have a look at this little guy on Tuesday evening after work. We weren't 100% percent we were going to take him, knowing how busy things would be, but I knew once we got there, we wouldn't be able to leave without him!
Monday morning, I woke up feeling nervous, anxious, and excited. I'd spent the whole night thinking "Are we ready for this?" We decided to spend Monday evening shopping for doggy essentials, we're planning on crate training our dog, as well as getting a collar, leash, food dishes and toys.
I'd decided to check out the new pet store downtown on Barrington called PetValu. They had a lovely selection of collars, and as I was perusing, my phone started to ring. It was the breeder, calling to make sure we WERE coming the following night. I had previously asked in an email that because I have allergies, would she be willing to arrange a return on the dog if I had major problems. She said she wouldn't be able to do that, as they were moving, and asked me what I would do. I said that we would just have to figure something out then. She asked again if we were for sure coming on Tuesday night. I said yes, we were definitely coming to look at the dog, but that we weren't 100% positive we were going to take him. (Can't buy sight unseen).
About an hour later, she called me back, saying that she had a buyer who was willing to come and get the dog right then and there. She said she felt awful, and that because I said I wasn't 100% sure, that she just wanted to get rid of the puppy (he was the last of the litter to go). So I told her I understood, and sadly, hung up.
So our search for the perfect puppy continues. And while this little guy seemed to speak to me, and seemed like he would have been the perfect match, it wasn't meant to be. I could have fought for him, but in a way, felt like it was a sign that we should wait. We're on the hunt again, perhaps we'll find that perfect miniature Labradoodle or Goldendoodle we've been looking for at a more opportune time! All I can say is, I can't wait!

First Attempt...

Due to the increasing interest in my very active social and artistic life (:P) I have decided to create this blog in hopes that it will help me show my artwork to those interested, gain inspiration as well as clarity about past, present and future works.
My name is Danielle and I am an emerging artist in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I am set to graduate from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, and am currently struggling to figure out how I am going to carry on an artistic career without the aid and help of those around me at school. Perhaps readers can post suggestions, but the task is daunting, even though I am bound and determined to make my mark on this world!
Artistically I paint and draw, but I also dabble in the textile arts. I have experience with fabric dying, screen printing, and weaving, and currently have my own loom. My paintings currently are centered around portraits of my most cherished and dear friends, and most of my source images have been taken from Facebook. I'm trying to create a discussion around identity, and creation of identity through social media... I think...

I'm also currently working on a Tactile Notebook, which, in the simplest form is the combination of a sketchbook, journal and scrapbook. Like this blog will hopefully provide, it's a place to create and not be judged. A place to play. So let's play on, and I hope my future blogs become more interesting than this first one :P