Formally and belatedly introducing Oso

The bits and pieces around are cushion filler foam from various former "beds" that they like to eat and to spread all around the yard ...

I guess I was not only very busy but a bit embarrassed to announce we had acquired a third puppy in as many months. As a friend told me today, "I can't believe you went from zero to three so fast." She claims I would do well in Colorado, which apparently is the most dog friendly state in the U.S. Anyway, after having Lunes and Tulu for a few weeks, I had the uncontainable urge for a third puppy, so I did my search for a 2-month lab or golden retriever, and was happy to find one in a vet's shop in San Carlos. Off we went with Barbi to pick up yet another one, and when we got to San Carlos and stopped for directions we were corrected by the locals. Not a vet shop, but a seed shop. Hmmmm. We arrived at the place to confirm that indeed it looked nothing like a vet shop, and to have to wait half an hour for the guy who had claimed on the phone he was waiting for us there. He arrived with a tiny puppy that in my inexperienced eyes did not look one month old. Upon introduction, puppy barked at me, just when I noticed that his head was CRAWLING with fleas. Closer inspection revealed all kinds of scabs as well. This was a very tense moment. The guy was lying through his teeth, drawing up a fake vaccination record right before my very eyes ("He has all the shots") and defensively asking me if I knew anything about dogs in response to my comments about the puppy not being anywhere near 60 days, or about his forehead looking like a flea airport, as the fleas taxied around and took off and landed again...



We went with our gut and just took the puppy and ran to the real vet, Sienra, in Maldonado, who confirmed that Oso had fleas, staphilococcus, probably all kinds of parasites, no shots, and was no older than 24 days. In his words, he would be lucky if he made it, as he was a prime candidate to get sick and die. Off we went then with Oso, who lived for about 10 days in two boxes next to my bed (bathroom box and bedroom/livingroom box, a system I will trademark). The introduction to the other two was a bit tough, as they were scared silly of the little rat dog who was a tenth their size but who would bark at them and give chase and bite like a bear. By the time Barbi was gone, no more than two weeks later, Oso was sleeping with the other two and hanging out all day outside. Right now all the parasites and scabs and fleas are gone, and he's become a force to be reckoned with. Obviously the alpha, and learning everything way faster than the other two.

I have to say that I missed them soooo much while on vacation that in Paris Barbi had to pull me out of a pet shop where a similar aged golden retriever on sale brought me to tears. This week we have debuted the "family beach outing" with the three of them, as there is usually nobody at the beach save for a couple of fishermen and the weather is amazing...

Enough talking, now I'm off to play with them...