The Unbreakable bond

The Unbreakable bond

You could say that the first look into each other’s eyes did it or the drive back from the pet shop to the studio sealed the deal but the ‘Unbreakable Bond’ was cast and set one long night about 3 days after she came home.

Having not had a puppy before I went out and bought a number of highly recommended dog books, one in particular I used as a bible, from food, exercise, training, medical it was all in there from A-Z.

S is for SLEEP;
Set aside a warm cosy area for your puppy, line your basket with blankets and maybe with a piece of you clothing you could also add a hot water bottle filled with warm water, if the puppy is young you might want to snuggle a tick-tock clock in there, this will mimic a ‘heartbeat’. This heartbeat will provide the pup with safe feeling that he/she is still with his litter.
Place the basket in a separate room, ensure it is dark and that there is no wind or strange noises, put your pup to bed, tell them to stay and reassure them this is a safe environment.

I followed the instructions to a T and for 3 nights and she howled and cried, and whimpered and just when you thought she couldn’t utter another sound she howled again, I couldn’t blame her, but I was at my wits end, I hadn’t slept, she hadn’t slept both were in a bit of a state.

So …. I go down and open the door to the room she was in, thinking if she can see a little bit of light and that she is not alone she might settle ….. no luck
Next I try opening the door to my bedroom, thinking if she can hear me pottering around she will be assured I am her and that it’s all ok ….. no luck
So I move her bed into the hallway outside my room, no harm in that really, a bit closer to me and she should be settled …. no luck
Next I try putting her bed at the bottom of my bed, underneath (I had a high bed that was off the floor about 2.5 ft) …. Success!!! …for about 5 minutes …then HOWLING! And now it was louder because it was under my bed!
The book the book ..where is it … ok S is for SLEEP … rugs check, t-shirt check, water bottle check, clock ..clock … NO CLOCK! No heartbeat … argh … improvise Cryss come on … solve the problem …. Heartbeat!

And here we have it .. the exact moment the unbreakable bond was cast and set forever.

I picked her up, laid her on my chest, kissed her nose and turned the light off …. Seconds later I can hear little snorty snores and she was off dreaming of tennis balls and the beach.

And the rest shall we say is history, on many occasion when I couldn’t find her around the house or garden, she has scuttled her way off to my bed and I would find her laying there with her head on my pillow like a little human being.

While every text book I read said sleeping in your bed was a no no …. The moment she fell asleep was the most wonderful moment I think I had ever experienced, not because of the silence and end of whimpering, but because my heartbeat was what she needed and her heartbeat and snuffling was what I needed.

We were perfect!