The New Kid

If you follow this blog, you know the Corgi boys- Howard and Milo.  And MCat, a feral kitten who grew up under a stack of Italian terra cotta pots, and now lives the good cat life in my office and the shop.  Rob lost the last of his mini-schnauzer pair a few years ago; he has made noises on and off for some time now about another dog.  He so missed having a dog.  This past fall, I could tell a puppy was in the works.  One day, an 8 week old standard schnauzer named Larry showed up at the door.  That cute as a button and unsure of himself 8 week old phase lasted about 2 days. We all were in the throes of the puppyhood life and times. Rob-he was happy.    

I had my worries about the corgis.  They are both 5 years old now; they have their routine, and they rule the roost.  Unless MCat decides to take them them on.  Their puppy encounter years ago with Rob’s mini-schnauzers was a trial by fire.  Those aging schnauzers were mean and snarly on day 1; their irritation, disdain and displeasure persisted well beyond day 1005.  In all fairness, they were well up in years- the new Corgi puppies were a colossal pain.  I worried-would my corgis be jerk 1 and 2 to the new kid?  Day 1 through 5 went fine-I could see they were thinking the new kid was an abberation.  We were babysitting, or helping someone through a transition, or providing a home for a stray while we searched for a new home.  The end of week 1, they knew the world had changed.  By the end of week 2, Milo broke the ice.  He threw his weight around with impunity.  Baby Larry was enchanted.      

He did have that irrestible puppy look-good thing.  We were all scooping him up for regular trips outdoors while Rob was busy.  Outside of his propensity to piddle every 10 minutes, all went swimmingly. Once Milo was over the shock, he got right into the puppy routine.  When he had the time energy and inclination, he played hard.  When he was tired, he endured.    

Howard worried me more.  Surprisingly, he took a very benign position.  Larry moved right into the dog quarters under my desk-not much of a peep out of Howard.  When he thought that Milo was playing too rough, he intervened.  Puppies always go too far, don’t they?  Should Howard be pressed beyond reason to reveal all of his teeth, Larry moves his antics a few feet off shore.  Howard likes the baby-who could have predicted that?    

Milo has done the lion’s share of saying hello and welcome.  Should Larry want to interact, he is game.  I breathed a big sigh of relief.  Milo accepted him.  This is not to say he does not drive Milo wild-but there is a good relationship growing there. 

Good thing, for those early relationships.  Larry has grown by leaps and bounds-he towers over the Corgis, even though he is only a baby.  He is teething-there is not one thing he will not chew.  He is a big puppy now-this means lots of energy.  The fallout from him chewing plans, drapes and rugs-we have to make time to teach.  All of us are on Larry watch.   

I am so pleased for Rob.  A dog is a friend like no other.  This one is an adolescent handful-just yesterday he jumped into the lap of a client who came for a consult-and stayed.  The client-not one bit perturbed.  He will eventually learn some manners, she told me.  Gardening people value their contact with nature.  To the last, they like dogs.  The new kid today?  A standard schnauzer baby cyclone.      

It is hard to stay mad at him for long.  He has lots of energy-most of which he puts to demanding some sort of social interaction.  He knows how to bark; there is no ignoring him.  He wants to be a voting member of the group.  OK, he is a voting member of the group.  


This new staff member is in training.  Come spring, ask for Larry.