What every little boy needs

Tonight we increased our four-legged population by 200%. A well-meaning neighbor found an abandoned mama hound-dawg with two puppies and set right to finding them all new homes.

And so we now have mama and little girl staying in an old dog run I had intended to make Husband tear down, which has of late been home to one bad@ss black snake Twit has been stealing offspring from all year.

Husband has been trying to sell me on the idea of a dog for years. I don't mind in principle, but the nearly instantaneous reassignment of Twit-related care that befell me (despite the most ardent of promises) has soured me on the entire pet conversation. When our neighbor showed up and little girl howled at me, I hesitated for the briefest of moments. This was Husband's cue.

Later, I ran down my list of demands:
1. The dogs are not permitted entry into my house.
2. I will not be collecting poo from various places in the yard.
3. I will not be the only person feeding and bathing them, nor will I take part in any tick removal.

Husband listened seriously to my finger-waggling diatribe and agreed to these and any future demands of mine. Still, I'm not holding my breath.

I do take some consolation, however, in the fact that tomorrow is Rascal's 3rd birthday. If there is anyone that can keep up with him, I think it will be this puppy.

My cousin, proud mommy to her own little handful, told me it would end this way. "Every little boy needs a puppy!" I guess I'd better go find a big red bow.

Edited to add pictures of Shasta (mama) and Lily (baby). We have since learned Shasta is a Bluetick Coonhound; Lily's coloring suggests her father may be a Rottweiler, but who knows?! Lily was being very rascally and wouldn't pose for a proper pic - sorry.