Hi. This is Kingston. Kingston Wingston. Kingston Mingston.
We welcomed Kingston, aka, Ellie's new little brother, home on Sunday, March 1. He is a chihuahua, bull terrier, and rat terrier mix weighing 5.68 lbs at a little more than 3 months. AND LOOK AT THAT FACE. This is him basically telling me, "HAAALPPP," at the vet.
He is playful, of course, and basically wants to follow my every step. He is SUCH a little snorer, which is kind of cute (dog owners -- am I going to regret saying that?!).
I'll admit though -- the first night was rough. I kept wondering, "What have I gotten myself into? Am I really ready for this?" He was VERY, VERY shy, and just wanted to be by himself. He also growled every time Ellie, who is a very friendly and social dog, came near him, which made me really worried and sad because one of the biggest reasons why I wanted a second dog was so that she can have a companion.
Fortunately, things are getting better as days go by. Getting a second puppy is a little easier in a way because I've already gone through it all and learned from raising Ellie (who was about the same age as Kingston when I got her). I knew exactly what to buy, and what to do and expect.
He is more difficult though because Ellie didn't have much of an issue with us picking her up. Sometimes, I'm find myself circling around, trying to pick him up and NOT have him freak out, as he has done twice already. He literally makes this whiny noise like a little kid, and even screams a little sometimes, but he's OK once he is held for the most part. I initially wasn't planning on going through training classes with him because I figured I can use what I learned with Ellie's training. However, now that I've gotten to know him better, I think it's best to have an expert help him past his fear, and I also want to make sure they are both really getting along.
Stay tuned for updates on his progress. I know it's going to be a long but fun journey, as it has been with Ellie, but I'm hopeful. Kingston just really needs the proper care and love, which we are all (yes, even you, Ellie) giving him and will continue to give him.