Introducing...

We said when we got another dog it would be a small dog. The kids really like Shakey, my sister's dog, and try as they might, they can't walk 108 lb. Flash.

As with kids, after Lizzie's passing, they began asking about another dog. And the possibility of DOGS.

It was at the top of their Christmas list, but Matt is opposed to giving puppies as presents--they're living things, not presents.

And, Oliver. He took Lizzie's passing very hard. He would tell me every morning that he missed her and that his heart was sad. He would then throw in that he has only ever been around two dogs and that Flash was lonely.

Melt my heart.
 

What can I say, we're suckers.

But, adding a pup now was also good timing because we are not traveling for karting. Getting a puppy now means that I am home with them during the day and can focus on housebreaking them and training them, something that would be difficult packing and karting them in the motorhome to racetracks.

Chloe began the discussion by looking at small breed dogs online and taking dog-breed surveys. She decided she wanted a Japanese Chin. In researching the breed, we didn't come across any breeders near us. A Google search did uncover three Poodle/Japanese Chin mix puppies nearby. I decided to take a look at these puppies one day and the rest is history as they say.

The Poo-Chin pups were not the breed for us. But during my pup visit, I came across another mix breed pup that caught my eye and stole my heart. He was a little tan and white Maltese/Shi Tzu and he was darling. He loved to be cuddled and the Shi Tzu is a breed that gets high marks for being child-friendly and friendly with other dogs. After talking to Matt, we went back a week later and made him ours.

Our first night home with the puppy.

He had a sister, but we weren't sure. We said one puppy was enough for now. BUT, a week later, we decided to keep the brother and sister duo together and we made her ours too.

 

Deciding on two puppies was the easy part (not really) but names for the pups was all together harder.

 

His first week home, our little male pup was "Senna" (after racing legend Ayrton Senna) but when we decided that we would go back for his sister, Oliver decided he wanted to name her and he decided on "Niki". Then we changed our minds and we decided to go with Bangers (little girl pup) and Mash (little boy pup)---as in the well-loved British dish. But, when little girl came home, it was decided that she didn't look like a Bangers and their names officially became Turbo (little boy) & Portia (little girl).

 

Confused? We all were.

 

Turbo made no peep (with the exception of his second night at home when he couldn't see anyone in his kennel at bedtime--and that was quickly remedied) until his sister came home. Now, it's "yip, yip, yip" at any movement. They are cute but it's not quite the best 6 a.m. wake up call.

 

Portia has been with us just a few days, but she's won everyone over. I think she knows she wasn't our first choice and has made it her mission to make us regret it. She is a snugglebug and loves to take naps on you. She can also hold her own with Flash and her bully big-brother Turbo.

 

The pups are almost 4 months old and Turbo weighs in at 8.2 lbs. and Portia comes in at 4.6 lbs.

The pups on their first night reunited.

Portia all cozy on the couch.

Turbo, when he was known as Senna, playing on the floor with Emma Claire. He's a pretty boy.

The pups in their play pen. Our vet advised us to use this set-up and to wee-wee pad train them until the weather warms up. Turbo loves going outside so he's not pleased with this arrangement. He was enjoying exploring the yard until the vet put that plan on the backburner.

Flash has taken to the pups. He and Turbo were fast-friends and was proving himself an excellent housetraining teacher to Turbo. We got a little stink-eye from Flash when we brought Portia home but she seems to have won him over too. He likes to sleep by their play pen and will paw at it when they bark as if to say, "quiet down".

The pups like to play and love to have full run of the first floor of the house. They've entered into the puppy chew phase and I have to watch them closely. Emma Claire has already lost a board book to them and several wee wee pads have made an early demise.