|
ha! try him with a stagbar (antler). Carrot goes nuts for them and he's a heavy chewer.
Also, as to learning to love them:
I liked Carrot. He was adorable, and sweet and cute and beautiful. But he wasn't Pilau. I spent quite a bit of time feeling like, God I wish it were Pilau I was stroking and not this little puppy...then feeling guilty for effectively wishing the lad away like that. All my instinctive behaviours and styles of handling were off kilter...his reations so different to my sense memories of the same with Pilau, right down to the way he arched his back when I ruffed the fur on his rump, which Carrot never does.
In the first few days especially I wondered a few times if I'd made some horrible mistake. I knew, in the back of my mind that I'd eventually settle and grow to love him, but knowing it will happen isn;t the same as actually feeling it.
I felt self-conscious with him. Sometimes my manner felt false, like I was playing a role with him.
Then I started to feel a real sense of protectiveness and the beginnings of love...which made me feel guilty like I was somehow letting Pilau go by doing so.
Add in that he was a lot of work. High energy levels, he was either asleep or active, no middle ground. And he didn't seem to sleep anywhere near as much as puppies that age are meant to...and I am quite a sedentary person. I spend a lot of time in my own head. Dealing with a high maintenance pup after the years of slow and easy companionship was stressful, tiring, occasionally heart breaking and laden with a pervading sense of guilt that I was letting Pilau go and also that Carrot had no idea of any of what was in my mind, and that it wasn't his fault he wasn't Pilau.
Actually, though, looking back, I went through similar sorts of things with Pil when we got him. Wondering if I'd ever really know this strange little beast. Wondering if I'd made a mistake, feeling frazzled by the sudden explosion of energy I'd unleashed into my home :P
Somewhere along the way I realised I loved Carrot fiercely. I found myself feeling excited about coming home to him after I'd been at uni for the day. And we began to learn each others language and character. We're still learning. It's a journey and he's only 13 months old so changing too. But he's my lad now.
All part of the process. Good days, bad days, sure days, insecure days.
|