Baby Diesel comes home

Home from the trade show and exhausted but up early the next morning and headed to Burnsville,  baby Diesel was coming home.  Arrived at Linda's,  did the paper work, wrote a check and headed home.  I was pretty damn excited.  He rode in the crate like a super star,  I think he was on his best behavior to lull me into a false sense of security. The next three weeks were a challenge although he did not cry at night he was up early and crazy with the zoomies in the mornings.  He was mouthy and chewed on my shoes,  ate through lamp cords,  knocked over lamps,  pulled drinks out my hands.  Did I mention that TT's use their paws like hands?  Never seen this before, it's quite amazing.  He jumped on me when I was laying on the couch and landed on my face scratching me with his claws.  I had to tell people I lost a battle with a 14 week old puppy.  Did I mentioned the plate he broke?  Are you getting a sense of the chaos?  I've also said puppies, kittens and babies all have to be cute...or you would never have one.

Pupternity Leave

Well now that is was settled that I was getting that little Black and White puppy and that I would ALLOW him to be showed (remember this), I couldn't wait.

But first there was this matter of finishing up the last big events of a job that was going to throw me out the door.  So the month of July arrived and I headed out to DC to travel with a Chinese partner and meet with customers and then our biggest trade show event of the year.  These were bittersweet events as I loved the people I worked with and this would be the last time I would see many of my customers who over the years had become my friends.  The ten days on the road were long and exhausting but I knew my reward was living in a loving home in Minnie.  As I greeted my many friends when they came to see me at the booth it was so much fun talking to them and showing them a picture of baby Diesel on my phone and telling them I was going on Pupternity leave as soon as I got home.  And oh by the way, sell them something..  Unfortunately I could not say goodbye personally as although I felt my job was over it was not to be official for another four months. 

Show over,  airplane home,  early rise the next morning and a quick drive to Linda's and baby Diesel is home.  My first TT.  Remember my earlier post.  TT's are like potato chips.  You can't have just one.

"I need a special home for a special boy!"

and I thought I was the sales person.  "Linda, I can't take the puppy now,  I'm going to be gone all of July" was my reply. 

"We are willing to keep him for the extra month to place him in the right family" (Again,  who is the salesperson?)  "But (oh oh), we would like to show him and maybe breed him"  (Wasn't I clear that I wanted no part of that business?)  "Well, what does that mean to me?" (buying signal)  "You need to keep him in tact and not cut his hair"  "How much does it take to keep him groomed?" (buying signal) "Not much just 15 minutes a day" says the salesperson that wasn't me.  Well I really need to meet him again. (SOLD!!!!)


As a side note,  the people who know me know that I'm not a high maintenance person.  The people who know show TT;s know that they can be considered high maintenance.  

See an issue here..

I was pretty proud of myself...

When I left that first evening with all of my money still in my pocket.  I had been clear about my timing and the fact that I wanted nothing to do with a "show" dog.  I just wanted a pet that would hang around with me.  I was very satisfied I was getting a puppy at the end of August and was going to enjoy the rest of my summer.  This satisfaction lasted 4 days,  then my cell phone rang.  It was Linda,  she wanted to talk about the little black and white puppy.

How much is that doggy in the window?

Free
$15
$35
$150
$250
$400
$2000

Yikes!  Well,  I'm glad I'm all grown up. The original idea was to get two but..ah maybe not. And of course I wasn't going to get one until after my trade show season ends at the end of July, right.  There were more puppies due to go home to there forever home the last of August,  I'll get one of those. 

Meanwhile, back to the backyard.  There was another couple there and when they left Linda and I had a long talk.  I filled her in on my background and was emphatic about the fact that I might show the dog in agility and obedience but I wanted nothing to do with the confirmation ring.  After all I had seen Best in Show.  As we were talking Bill arrived home from work and we also got to chat.  Satisfied that these dogs were being kept in a loving environment I know I would be purchasing a puppy from Linda and Bill.  But not until the end of July.

But there was that small issue of that black and white puppy.

"they are 6 weeks old and pretty cute at this age."

I really can't have a puppy until after the big trade shows in July.  Once those were done my job was pretty much eliminated.  I really can't have a puppy until after the big trade shows in July. I really can't have a puppy until after the big trade shows in July. I really can't have a puppy until after the big trade shows in July.   That was my repeated thought as I drove south down 35e,  to check out the conditions under which these 6 week old puppies were being raised.  I vowed to remain unmoved by these puppies.  Yeah, Right!

I arrive,  the door opens, a woman with long white hair who wasn't 5 feet tall and a little  shaggy black dog with mottled feet and a white chest greeted me.  The woman was Linda and little dog was Parker,  the second TT I'd ever met.  Remember that name:  Parker.

It was a beautiful evening in June and Linda and I sat in the back yard watching and chatting as four little puppies and their Mama race in the back yard.   A little black and white boy kept coming over....I really can't have a puppy until after the big trade shows in July.
 

The Dog (less) days of summer

Back to work or what passed as work then the following Monday.  Didn't have to let the Big Guy out during the night or that morning  was a staunch reminder he was gone.  My team (what was left of it) were wonderful.  A card and a flower were awaiting me upon arrival to the office.  My counterpart in marketing and I went for coffee.  I recalled to her a conversation we had when we last traveled together in March.  My quote:  "I could lose my dog, my job and my mom all in one year"  (My mom is still living as of this blog--she's 91).  Well my dog was gone and my job had been diminished from that of a well respected business development professional to a mundane overpaid customer service rep.  It was just a matter of time now that I would not be needed.

On Thursday of that week they called to tell my the Big Guy's ashes and paw print were ready to be picked up at my vet.  I took the day off and went over mid morning to miss the morning rush.  When I walked into the office who would have thunk that a black standard poodle was standing at the front desk as her owner paid the bill.  Oh yeah,  I lost it.

Spring turned to summer and I still was asked to make the occasional business trip.   Even though my work had diminished I was still considered the resident expert in my product line and would be representing the company at our very largest show in the month of July.  No I didn't need a dog but funny how I kept viewing that website where that puppy was now getting older.  I also noted that more puppies were due and would be available the first week of Sept.  Whew,  okay, well maybe now I can talk to her,  after all I can get a puppy in September.

The email read something like this:

Hi,

My name is Cyndi Schmidt and I recently lost my standard poodle after 12 years.  A couple of years back I met a Tibetan Terrier in Florida and they quickly moved to the top of the list.

When can we talk?


The response:

Hi,

I would love to talk but we are moving this weekend.  Here is my puppy application, can you fill it out and get back to me.  When we get settled in why don't you come see the puppies I have,  they are 6 weeks old an pretty cute at this age.

Linda.


Me:

Excellent I would love that.  Talk to you next week.

Cyndi

Remember what I said earlier,  you don't go look at puppies, you go BUY puppies.