It’s time for a pupdate! Lots has happened since my first post about our search for a pup, back in January. Back then, we were on the waiting list for a cavapoo litter, expected to be born within the next few weeks…and now, we are an expectant family, waiting eagerly to adopt!
Mum, a beautiful, apricot-coloured cavapoo herself, gave birth to a large litter of male and female pups a short while later. We were sent lots of pictures, and the breeder asked us if we had any preference on gender, size etc. When we found out what they were all like, there wasn’t too much to think about – we are already a house with two blond boys who are small but perfectly formed, so that’s what we went for! And isn’t he gorgeous? This is Bertie…
We were so excited to visit him for the first time a few weeks back, right in the eye of one of those February storms. While we were there, our lovely breeder showed us all of his kennel club lineage, as both his parents are cavapoos from pure-breeds. I love looking at those documents, because the names they give Kennel Club dogs are just fabulous: Queenie Madimoo, Golden Ember at Kairiri, Karkach Marvellous Marcel, and Swinging Charcoal Charlie are just some of the gems from his mum’s line!
Bertie’s name is a little less elaborate, but was still cause for plenty of debate. We discussed what to call him in the car on the way home from our first visit, and the little one was in a cantankerous mood – so every name the rest of us agreed on, he disliked, and the ones we discounted were the ones he just had to have on his shortlist. But we finally reached consensus, and it really seems to suit him.
So now, the preparations for bringing our new arrival back home with us will begin in earnest; and just like when we became parents for the first time, I’m discovering a whole community who just love to help and support each other. We have been inundated with so much kindness from fellow dog owners, including offers of cages and other pup paraphernalia, checklists, vet recommendations, puppy socialising, and general tips and advice about what worked well for them in the early stages, and what they’d do differently. It’s a club I’m excited to be part of!
Bertie is coming to us around Easter, and just like with a newborn, we are preparing to put everything on hold for a few months. Bertie’s comfort and care will be top priority, and we can’t wait to welcome this gorgeous little bundle to the Chamb Clan. My only worry is that the whole country will be locked down before we can pick him up!
Stand by for further pupdates, and (hopefully) lots of fun and games with puppy training…