Puppies - you have to be kidding!

We live in a typical (very small) Florida style home. I try to consider it a luxury that my children, even the teen, and us parents are more often together in the same areas than not. (at least when I am not: trying to read, talk on the phone, have a convo with hubby, or feeling particularly claustrophobic!)

There are 5 of us and assorted visiting friends crammed together - I mean coexisting peacefully. Add to that 2 dogs, 1 cat, and a rabbit who is lucky enough to have her own space outside, and you get a (sardine can) very full house.

Well, apparently the dogs disagreed! We have a lovely basset girl that we have had for 3 + years. She has not been fixed because my hubby always wanted to breed her once and have basset puppies. Not a problem, as I knew he would not go looking for a stud, it would be luck if it ever happened. Things were just fine until my daughter saved enough money to buy her own puppy. (we had been thinking of getting one, as our lap-sized dog died a year before, after a very full life) After deliberation and searching, we found Springer Spaniel puppies (4 1/2 months old), her dad brought her and her brother and they returned with Oliver, a sweet boy, at the end of October. Being practical, we planned to have him fixed in January.

Well, Daisy did not apparently want to miss her opportunity and went into heat the week of Christmas. We tried to keep them under watch in the house, and separated outside. But they were caught practicing for an episode of National Geographic in the backyard before they could be pried apart. I thought, what the heck, the odds must be slim, we'll watch and see how things go. Well, Daisy is no longer in heat and Oliver has regained much of his self control, but Daisy is miserable. She mopes around, gives us a "poor me" expression and just generally looks like she feels like crap. I recognize the look, so I will be calling the vet today - I guess our little home will grow smaller (at least for 6-8 weeks).