First-Time Puppy Mommy
Barely over a week ago I became a first-time puppy mommy. Which, is hilarious if you knew me a few years ago. In fact, one of my first descriptions about myself in the “About Me” section of my old MySpace page discussed my very ineptitude at being a pet mother, caretaker, what have you. Here’s my previous track record. I’ll be brief.
Pet One: A goldfish I shared with my brothers as a child. It died. I don’t recall the death being my fault, but as I tried to scoop it out of the fishbowl to give it a proper toilet-bowl burial, I accidentally, nearly sliced it in half.
Pet Two: A mouse. Sugar. He was a darling, white treat for any larger animal. Yet, he stayed happily in his glass cage in the basement of my mother’s house in which I was living at 18 years old. He hung on for about a month. I noticed he was struggling to live. Perhaps the cage was not cleaned properly (I really had no training in this matter). So, somehow I revived him and he lived for just another month. He was lucky enough to be buried underneath, or near, the miniature pine tree growing in the front yard.
Pet Three: A beta fish named Beasty that I shared with my baby sister. This time I was living with my mom at 23. Yes, I had left home, but I was back for various reasons. So, my sister and I thought we could handle a beta fish. Shouldn’t be too much to handle, so we thought. We took turns cleaning out the fishbowl on weekends. Then, we got the brilliant idea to get a water lily to put on top. You know, something Beasty could swim around in. Keep busy. Well, I believe it was three months before we (she, I was away for whatever reason) found him. Not “breathing,” not eating, not swimming. Laying, dead in the tangle of lily roots we’d thought would benefit him.
So, you can see my apprehension in even thinking I’d be close to being a fit pet mother. Especially a puppy mother. To some, puppies are literally part of the family. A child. Present in proper family portraits. Around forever in their memorabilia, 
ceramic paw prints, chew toys, special leashes. However, I had gotten just bored enough by the rest of my life that I thought it would be a good idea. Give me something to do.
Ha! Give me something to do he has! Mister Snoopy is definitely a needy, busy, crazy, adorable, pooping member of the family! And it’s only been a week! What’s more, is that I think I may be prepared enough this time to keep him not only alive, but healthy, for a very long time. You see, the third member of our family comes from a lineage of pet owners. He knows what to do. Their pets have all lived up to their full potential life expectancy. And so, I now have the faith and confidence in myself to be the best pet mommy I can be!
