We knew we wanted to get another dog, sooner or later, but I wasn’t sure how long it would be before it would actually happen. We discussed options and decided that we’d like another American Eskimo Dog. However, they aren’t a common breed around here (or anywhere, really, as far as I know), and it might be a while before a puppy would be available anywhere near us.
Then there was the question of whether or not it would be the right thing for Luna. She’s older, now, and that combined with her blindness could present some challenges when it came to introducing another dog into the home. However, we also thought that having a companion might do her good, if we handled it the right way.
After we said goodbye to Frodo, we’d hear Luna playing with his favorite ring toy and play-growling while we ate supper. That’s something she would frequently do to get his attention and start a game. After a couple of nights, she seemed to accept that things had changed and stopped the old routine. It felt like she missed having a companion, and a puppy could be a positive addition to her life.
Then there was suddenly an “almost American Eskimo Dog” puppy (more on that in a bit) available within driving distance. This puppy had originally been spoken for, along with the rest of the litter, but circumstances had changed and the breeder was looking for a new place for him to go. We gave it some thought and decided we were ready to welcome a puppy into our lives.
Everything worked out, and because of the unusual situation, we would be picking up our puppy in less than a week! There was a lot of preparation to do to create a safe place for the puppy to stay (one that would also protect Luna’s comfort)—and the long drive (about 6.5 hours each way) required planning, too. Mom and Kimberly kindly offered to come visit Luna for bathroom breaks, feeding, and attention. I started waking up far too early every morning and making detailed lists (my preferred coping mechanism for nerves and excitement).
The big day arrived, we made the trip there and back, and that night found us safely back at home, with a new puppy in tow.
Not an American Eskimo Dog
As I hinted before, this puppy isn’t actually an American Eskimo Dog. He’s a German Spitz. However, if you’re familiar with the history of the American Eskimo Dog breed, you’ll know that they are German Spitz. The breed was simply rebranded around the time of the first World War, when anything German fell out of favor in the United States.
I’m far from an expert in German Spitz dogs, but I do know that they come in more than one size, as well as in different colors. (There’s a version with solid black fur, for instance.) Our puppy’s breeder had bred Eskies, but started seeing some troubling health problems emerging in the American Eskimo Dog breed stock. Basically, the genetic pool wasn’t what it should be to give the dogs their best chance at a healthy life, so she decided to start breeding German Spitz, instead, which provided better options with less shared DNA. For all intents and purposes, though, our German Spitz puppy should have all the same breed-based traits we’ve come to know and love in American Eskimo Dogs.
Here’s a photo of the whole litter (all male), taken when we picked up our puppy:
His Name Is Pippin!
“Pippin” is a name that has been on our radar for a while. Maybe it was one of the other options we considered for Frodo… I just know that it was one we’d thought about before, along with a couple of others, including “Kismet”. We brainstormed names on the drive home, but decided to just wait and see what felt right over time. A few days later, we decided that “Pippin” felt like a good fit. (Yes, it’s another name from The Lord of the Rings.)
I think it takes a while for a puppy’s name to settle and feel natural to say. I still catch myself referring to him as “Frodo” from time to time, too. I’m sure the name will spring more easily to my lips after a few hundred times of using it!
We’re taking things slowly when it comes to Luna and Pippin’s introduction. She of course knows he’s here. She knew from that first night. (She may even have remembered that the indoor puppy pen meant a new dog would be coming soon.) She seems to be taking it in her stride. She’s interested—and he’s very interested in her, too—but we’ve kept them separated so far. One day soon we’ll probably allow a closely supervised meeting with no fences between them. We’ll see how it goes and adjust our plans as needed from there.
We’ve had enough puppies over the years (Molly, Daisy, Trixie, Luna & Frodo) that I knew it would be a lot of work. There’s always a moment when you ask yourself what you’ve gotten yourself into and seriously question your choices. There are needle-sharp teeth and destructive chewing, ear-piercing barks/whines and moments of exhaustion. Your whole schedule is up-ended and it’s tiring.
Knowing this in theory—even remembering it from past experience—can’t fully prepare you for going through it in the moment. (At least that’s how I feel!) As cute as puppies are, I’m already looking forward to a time when he’s a little bit older, calmer, and more settled in his routine. It gets better day by day—and then you’ll have some regression, too, especially during the “teenage” period. But eventually he’ll be grown-up enough that all this temporary extra work will be (mostly) forgotten (by me, at least).
He loves tummy tickles and from the first day had an “itchy spot” that would send his little leg kicking.
He doesn’t have the instant fetching instinct that Luna had. (She was fetching her toys from the very beginning!) Instead, he prefers chewing on toys, playing tug-of-war, and climbing up into your lap.
I think he’s going to be a cuddle bug!
He likes hanging out in the crate we included in his puppy pen. He takes toys in there and just relaxes for a while.
I’m sure you’ll be seeing lots more photos of Pippin in future posts! (And I’ll even try to get some of them in focus…) There will probably be many GIFs, too, because I think they’re fun.
Dollhouse Doodle
I haven’t done much hobby stuff since bringing Pippin home—though I did sit down at the sewing machine long enough to whip up a few homemade chew and tug toys from denim, flannel, and an old fleece-lined sock with a hole in it—but I do have a few things to post.
The first one is something I started a looooong time ago and never finished. It was a dollhouse doodle—basically just a simple cross-section of a house, filled with “stuff”. I did a couple of the rooms, then stopped and left it alone for months and months. (No idea how long, actually.)
One day recently I decided to finish it up. It’s nothing special, but it was fun to do, and I’d like to make more dollhouse doodles with different types of houses, different rooms, different “contents”.
Here’s just the black and white doodle:
And here it is colored-in with watercolor…
As I said, nothing special, but fun to do. I didn’t worry about perspective, straight lines, or realism. It’s just for fun. Quirkiness is fine! If you’re having fun when you do it, that’s all that matters.
It's Autumn Somewhere
We’re officially into September, and even though it’s still pretty darn hot and humid around here, I’m counting it as the beginning of autumn. (It’s a state of mind, and it’s nearly always autumn in my heart, as silly as that sounds.)
Anyway, I felt like painting but had little mental bandwidth. It needed to be simple and familiar, so I went with the old favorite of pumpkins/gourds. In fantasy colors, this time! I painted two bunches of them, then went back over them with ink to add the details.
Fantasy Pumpkin Patch #1
Fantasy Pumpkin Patch #2
I always have a good time painting and doodling pumpkins, and I really enjoyed these colors, too!
I’ll probably do this again soon, just because it’s fun and it’s easy.
I didn’t realize until the middle of the week that this will be Labor Day weekend. Perfect timing! We could really use an extra low-demand day. Just need to get a few things done today to set us up for a relaxing long weekend!
