Our New Addition!

This is the craziest story ever!  I've wanted to get a puppy forever, but the answer has always been "No". I went to the women’s expo last weekend, and this lady came with the cutest, tiniest imperial shih tzu I’ve ever seen!  He was seriously like ½ lb.  Right then Brady called to tell me about the Harley he wanted to buy that day (a post yet to come!), and I told him about this cute dog, thinking nothing of it.  He says “You should buy it!”  What the?! Not at all the response I would’ve thought!  I was freaking out!  I think I caught him at a weak moment!  So I talked to the lady about it, told her I’d think about it & call her later.  My only concern was taking care of him while working full time.  I called a couple of friends who’d raised puppies and worked full time, and they told me I could do it.  So I called the lady and told her I’d pick him up the next day!

Brady and I stayed up all night thinking of names and we went to the pet store and got all the stuff we’d need.  We were so excited!  I’d seriously never seen a cuter dog before!

So Sunday we go to pick him up.  Right when we walked in, the lady’s little girl had given it a treat that was too big for it & it started choking!  The lady worked on him and got the treat out, but he wasn’t breathing.  She tried to give him CPR, but it was too late and the poor little guy died right there in front of us!  I’m seriously tearing up as I’m typing this.  It was the saddest, most traumatizing thing I’ve ever seen.  And they acted so nonchalant about it! The lady was like “Sorry, I guess he died.  I’ll let you know if I breed anymore” as she’s holding it and just flopping it around!  I had to just run out of there before I threw up!  I was so devastated!  I sobbed for about the next hour!

We went straight to my parent’s for dinner and I was seriously beside myself!  I’ve never seen a creature die in front of me, especially not one that sweet and that I’d had my heart set on!  However, my sweet hubby, eager to make things right, ran upstairs on KSL, found another breeder in Lehi, told them to bring their puppies to my parent’s house so I could pick one, and I had a new puppy within a couple of hours!   Talk about a whirlwind!  I think my sobbing (hence why I look dead in these pics) probably scared Brady and there was no way he was going to let me go home without a puppy after all that!  It would be far too heartwrenching!

So we are now the proud parents of a 1.5 lb., 8 week old Imperial (tea cup) shih tzu named Axel.  He’s a little bigger than the last one, and his colors are different, but he is the cuddliest, sweetest thing! I have to admit, I'm struggling so far!  I haven't slept in two nights!  He yaps when left alone (kennel or no kennel) and will only quiet down and sleep when he's laying in bed next to us; but then I still can't sleep because I'm afraid of squishing him! The potty training thing is also causing me anxiety!  How will I potty train him when I'm hardly home during the day?!  Plus, when I am home I take him outside frequently, but he always chooses to go right after I bring him inside!  Ugh!  My mom has been kind enough to babysit the last two days, but she can't do that forever, and he needs to get used to his new home.  I just can't bear the thought of leaving him alone all day when he gets so sad just by me leaving the room!  However, he's too precious not to adore, so I guess I'll have to suck it up until hopefully he matures a little and adjusts.  I swear, it must be possible because so many of you have gotten puppies even though you work!  Any suggestions anyone on how to make taking care of this sweet ball of fluff a little easier?????