Yep, that can only mean one thing, Betty Boop the puppy has finally joined our family.
We picked her up nearly a week ago and since then life has definitely completely changed.
Before we adopted her, my husband was absolutely adamant that she w
ould sleep in the kitchen, and never be allowed to sleep in our room.
When I suggested it he was incredulous: "A dog in the bedroom?" he bellowed. "I've never heard anything so ridiculous!"
However, it hasn't quite worked out like that. On the first night she howled from 11pm to 1am; then slept for three hours and was back up at 4am screaming like a wild banshee.
My husband and I went down to calm her and she settled a little, but by 6am she was back into full swing and we had to get up for good.
The next night we put her back into the kitchen and this time it was a 100 times worse.
She hurled herself against the door; she tried to dig out through the floor and screeched at the top of her lungs for what seemed like hours.
Our very understanding neighbours had heard the performance the night before, so there was no way they were missing this debacle.
So in order to save our sanity, our kitchen and the friendship of the neighbours, we found ourselves trudging to the bedroom with puppy in our arms, and that is where she stayed until 6.30 the next morning.
Of course, bedtime isn't the only thing that's changed.
I'm learning that having a puppy is like having a newborn baby, except that this newborn can attempt to climb the stairs, chew on cables (and anything else she can find) and hang from your trousers by her teeth
when you're trying to get ready for the school run.
But in spite of this, I must say that we all love her to pieces, and in turn she is doing a very good job at training us all to her way of thinking.
In fact she's doing such a good job that I'm beginning to think she's a genius.
After all, if she can convince my bodybuilding tough-guy husband to have a cute little dog in the bedroom, I guess she can do pretty much anything . . .
