As I announced on my post on Friday (and as shared on my Instagram, Twitter and Facebook feeds!), it was ‘puppy pick up day’ on Saturday where we travelled up to the heart of the Yorkshire Dales to finally bring home the newest member of the Swoon Worthy family.
We’ve named him ‘Quito’ (pronounced like you would say the words ‘key’ and ‘toe’ but together, kee’-toh) after the Ecuadorian capital. Wayne travelled around South America a few years before we’d even met and thought that if he ever had a dog, he wanted to call it Quito. Obviously I wasn’t going to take that away from him (plus, I got to name Meisha) so the name had been decided before we’d even settled on which dog we were getting!
As you probably already know, we are huge cat lovers but the truth is, we have always wanted to get a dog. However, with both of us working full time outside of the house all these years, it just seemed unfair to leave a dog home alone for so many hours during the day. So we never felt comfortable with getting one in the past. Now that I work from home, however, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally get a pup to round out our little family.
Everyone I’ve spoken to who has had or known Shetland Sheep Dogs (or Shelties as they are called) speaks so well of them – they are highly intelligent dogs and easy to train and get on well with both animals and children as long as they are properly socialised. This was really important to us with 2 kitties at home and 3 young nieces and his small size worked well for us in terms of his exercise requirements. Plus, while our house isn’t tiny or anything (well, not to UK standards), the room sizes are small and the garden is fairly small so getting a large dog just wasn’t a viable option. The more we read about Shelties and the more we talked to people who owned them, the more we fell in love the idea of having a Sheltie ourselves.
Also? They are just gorgeous. Full grown, they basically look like miniature Rough Collies (ya know ‘Lassie Dogs’ as I used to call them although they are considered a separate breed altogether, they do share so many physical characteristics). Rough Collies are significantly larger and Shelties are just little things and normally don’t get much bigger than around 15″-16″ at the shoulder. (You can see the difference in size in this image from Wikipedia.)
So enough about the breed and let’s concentrate on our little boy. Wayne took this video and yes that’s me in the doorway of our messy garden (a work in progress I swear)! Ha! But it’s a great example of how much energy he has when he really gets going!
He’s only been with us for around 24 hours as I write this post so it’s very very early days. However, I can’t get over how happy and well-adjusted he is already.
He is basically just a ball of fluff with little legs and a little snout and the most soulful little eyes you’ve ever seen. He’s so eager to please and he is already responding to his name (!). He wolfs down his food with a voracity I have never before witnessed in person (2 gulps and the plate is clean) and you can just tell he LOVES his food (I’m hoping this means he’ll be easy to train!). He seems happiest and most settled when we are both seated – they are a herding breed so in their mind, when everyone is seated, this means their ‘herd’ is safe and they can relax. How cute is that?!
We had a little play session with him this morning – he’s already got like a million toys but he loves playing with these sticks so we were running around with him in the garden. After a bit of play, he’s currently conked out under my feet as I write. As a kitten, Meisha never seemed to tire out so this is sort of a relief that he does have ‘downtime’ unlike Meisha who was just a terror ALL DAY! ;)
Speaking of the cats… well, it’s funny how well we know the personalities of our Meisha and Pablo. We knew full well that Pablo would be great with him. He’s just the most nonplussed cat you’ll ever meet, so totally chilled out and we figured he’d be a little unsure of him and then once he realised there’s no threat, he’d be fine. And yes, this was exactly his reaction. They aren’t quite ‘friends’ yet and Quito is definitely curious of Pablo and has tried to play with him but Pablo is having none of it and is basically just watching him from a distance.
Meisha on the other hand has been a little more difficult (no surprise there then). We knew this going in because for as ballsy as she is with humans (no fear whatsoever), she’s absolutely petrified of dogs. So even bringing in this little ball of non-threatening fluff has been an adjustment for her and she’s basically turned to bunking out in the safety of the upstairs, presumably until he leaves. Sorry to break it to you, Meisha, but he’s not going anywhere. So we’re letting her adjust in her own time – I’m sure she’ll come around to making her way downstairs eventually (we put food, water and a little litter tray upstairs in the meantime because we know she won’t come down for those things out of fear). We reckon over the next week or so, she will get used to his presence and his smell (every time she catches a whiff of him or hears him, she hisses at nothing in particular) and we’re of course hoping given that they both are quite intelligent and playful, they will become friends. But for now, we’re just giving Meisha her space and going up to fuss over her a little which is greeted with lots of purrs and kitty kisses. She’s just scared. She’ll get over it though I’m sure.
In the meantime, we’ve been trying to educate ourselves as much as possible with raising a bright, well-adjusted dog and I’ve been reading my puppy handbook every day. Teaching him to go potty outside hasn’t been a great success so far (again, he’s only been with us for 24 hours so it’s REALLY early days) so if anyone has any tips on toilet training, I’m all ears!! I do have a book as I said where we’ve been trying out the methods there but so far, no such luck – he just doesn’t seem to understand I want him to ‘go’ when we’re outside. Hmm.
So yes, of course, you’ll probably see a lot more of Quito as he grows up. We’re big animal lovers here at Swoon Worthy HQ and our pets are part of our family so it’s just inevitable that I’ll talk about him! Apologies to the non-animal lovers of the world – normal interior design posts will resume shortly of course – although I simply can’t understand how you COULDN’T fall in love with that face. N’aw!
Remember when I introduced Meisha? You can see some really cute kitten pics here.
*For those who might ask why we didn’t get a shelter dog, please understand we had very specific reasons for our decision, not all of which I’ve shared here on the blog. Both Pablo and our cat Senna (now passed) were shelter kittens but everyone’s circumstances are different and sometimes rescue dogs are not a viable option so I would ask that you please be respectful of our decision. Thank you.
He’s adorable!!! ♡ A gorgeous ball of fluff and so cute! It made me laugh that you have all these toys and the one he likes the most is the free stick – just like children who play with the boxes instead of the presents at Christmas ;-) Can’t wait to meet him one day xo
Hahaha! So true! He loves those bloody sticks and they are bigger than him! lol xxx
He’s gorgeous :) Congratulations on your new addition!!
Thank you! xxx
OMG he is too cute!!!! Absolutely adorable! I’m a dog lover, not a cat person, but plenty of people have both so I’m sure your brood will all get along fine once they’re used to each other.
I admit I’m a little nervous because I’m so used to having independent kitties that this will be a big change for us but he’s such a cutie ;) I am sure they’ll all get on eventually! Fingers crossed anyway ;) xxx
What a sweetie! And houses and dogs…these are like the best subjects going!
Well when he’s ready to socialise with the big boys, I know a dog that still behaves like an overgrown pup ;)
Hahaha! Puppy play dates are one thing I’m REALLY looking forward to! I’ll let you know when he’s ready ;) xxx
Although I´m a 100% cat person, I have to admit, he ist really cute!:-)
My advice: Try changing the blankets of Meisha and Quito and comb them with the same comb. Like this they will get used to each others smell even if they don´t see each other. This helped us when we got our second cat. :-) I suppose it helps with a cat-dog- pairing too. We also exchanged cattoilets…but well…that wouldn´t work here I guess hehe.
And I just saw this on weekend:
https://www.google.de/search?q=anti+schling+napf&biw=1280&bih=774&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=jESRVbbtMMOSsgHuvbToBQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg
I have no idea how it´s called in English, sorry. Usually I´m not scared of language-experiments but…well… :-D It´s a bowl for dogs who eat too fast. :-D Might be something for yours? ;-)
Aaaand have you already seen this video? Hilarious! :-D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbycvPwr1Wg
Have fun with your new little friend and good luck with the cats! :-)
xo
Melinda
We’ve been rubbing his blanket on her face to exchange their scents and today she made it about 3/4 of the way down the stairs before she bolted back up! lol So we’re getting there! We did something similar when we introduced Pablo & Meisha and while I wouldn’t exactly call them ‘friends’now, they do tolerate each other ;)
The dog bowl is genius!! I’ve just ordered one of Amazon (UK) so here’s to hoping that helps – thank you! See, you find all these things out when you get a new dog lol
And yes!! I saw that video – it is hilarious!! Love it, had to watch it again ;) xxx
I love Quito! He’s adorable!!!! congrats on your newest family member :) xo
Thanks so much hun! He’s definitely a little heartbreaker ;) xxx
quito, i love you! such a cute fuzzy furball! so so happy for you guys!
Thank you darling! This should be fun! Ha! xxx
Oh, house training… Ha! It’s a nightmare, but it’s definitely a patience/”this too shall pass” kinda thing. When we got our beagle pup, this is what we did – He’d pee, we’d sternly say no, and take him outside. Repeat x’s 50. Seriously, every time he’d have an accident, we’d tell him no and take him out. After about a week, maybe two, it finally clicked and he’d run to the door to go out. (Oh yes, it helps in the beginning to always use the same door. You can also put a bell of some sort dangling from the door handle that they can nose or paw at to alert you that they need to go out.) I also highly recommend an enzymatic cleaner for piddle spots till he figures it out. You can get some at pet stores or there are some products for children (Totally Toddler here in the States works great for urine, vomit, etc.) I hope this helps… If you need any more help, feel free to email me. I grew up with a Sheltie and loved her to pieces – They’re wonderful dogs!!!
Thanks so much for your advice! We’ve been using the enzymatic cleaners (we already had them for the cats!) but he’s actually already making some progress. At least now he’s using the puppy pads and has gone outside a few times! Result ;) Getting him on a regular schedule is the challenging bit but we’re working on it! Fingers crossed he keeps making progress to the point where we don’t need the pads! xxx
Housebreaking pups can be quite stressful! If you are not already, I HIGHLY recommend crate-training him as well! I foster dogs for a local rescue group (not judging! I know every situation is different – just pointing out because I have a lot of different dogs coming into my house every few weeks and working on crate training/house breaking and then starting all over!) and most dogs won’t “go” in their crate, especially if it is also where they sleep and eat. Puppies can still only hold it for a much shorter time than older dogs, but keeping them in their crate when you can’t be watching them attentively or when you are one should help keep house-breaking from being as stressful as it can be. Plus, most dogs, find they live having their own, safe place in the crate. My own dog LOVES his crate – it is kind of like his security blanket when we travel, etc. Some people freak out about “caging” a dog, but that is not at all what crate-training is! Dogs are den animals and the crate provides them with a similar equivalent of a small (big enough they can stand and stretch out, but small enough they can’t go on one side to avoid an accident), safe space.
Other big thing about house-breaking is not to let Quito have the run of the house during this time! If you are in the kitchen and he is loose, make sure the exits from the kitchen are closed off so that is all the space he has available…same for when you are in the office etc. This allows you to keep a closer on him for signs he needs to go out. With young puppies, as annoying as it is, I try to take them outside every 30-45 minutes when they are lose. In the crate they can go longer, and that is more getting to know your own dog…maybe start with every 2-3 hours of in crate time, except at night, when he can probably go at least 4. Sorry for the long post…I just LOVE dogs and this one is such a cute little man! Good luck!!!
P.S. Having access to a glass of wine after you clean up his accidents never hurts either! :)
Thank you so much Gray for your thoughtful comment! It really helps to read what experienced owners are doing. We’re trying the crate method which has been challenging (our MIL did this with great success, her dog LOVES his crate too!). We’ve also limited the amount of ‘house’ he has access to – so far, just the dining room and kitchen (they are open to each other so difficult to close one off).
The crate has been hard because obviously he cried and wailed for ages the first time but today I have had a breakthrough! I found a video on You Tube with dog music (!!) which has worked a TREAT. So he only cries for like 10 minutes and then he’s out like a light. It’s been my saviour and I can actually get a shower now lol
We haven’t yet had him in the crate overnight (we tried, it was just awful and I was afraid the neighbours would start to revolt) so I’m trying to just leave him in for longer and longer periods until he realises that I’m coming back if he can’t see me ;) Hoping this is okay!
Really appreciate your advice though and it’s certainly a learning curve :) Thanks again!
xxx
wow, such a great and unusual name! I bet other dog walkers will be asking you about the name origins. So cute! Congratulations!!
Thank you! Yeah I admit I kinda love the name, it suits him as well :) xxx
He looks a bundle of mischief, but gorgeous with it xxx
He truly is! Good thing he’s so cute ;) xx
Oh he is just adorable. We got our dog last March so I’ve still got the house training trauma fresh in my mind. It’s super exhausting but persevere with him, you’ll get there in the end. We took ours out into the garden every 30 minutes or so, whenever he went outside rather than in the house he got lots and lots of praise and a little training treat, eventually he got the message. I believe if you’re after them going in a particular part of the garden you need to make sure you lead them to that place and stand with them in that spot till they eventually do something then do the same with tonnes of praise.
Oh and puppy school, if you can find one nearby it’s brilliant. We went to a lady who only uses positive reinforcement. It’s so good because you’ll meet people who are going through the same stresses as you which was invaluable for us since we were first time puppy owners and Quito will get to socialise with other dogs which is so great for them. Also, you get to play with other puppies too – best reason for going in my opinion.
Sorry for the long comment. Happy dog owning xx
He’s finally gone a few times outside (rather than on the puppy pads which was a result in and of itself lol) and I was SO happy! lol Lots of praise indeed! I’m hoping it sticks ;)
I’ve been considering a puppy school for training and socialisation so it’s good to know you found it successful – definitely something I’m going to keep in mind!
Thank you so much, it’s so nice to have encouragement from people who have gone through it – and lived to tell the tale lol
xxx
Yay, go Quito! We had to bin the puppy pads because he just shredded them instead of using them.
Puppy school really was great, if you find a good one I’d really recommend giving it a go. Our dog did a fair bit of nipping us and when I mentioned it at the class half of the other owners said they’d had the same thing which was a real relief because we honestly thought he hated us (naive, I know).
x
Hahaha! Well he’s a herding dog so I just assumed that’s what they do and not that he hated us (awww poor you!) ;) Although I did read that you aren’t to encourage it of course – I’ve been stuffing a toy in his mouth every time he starts nipping at our ankles lol But yes, certainly something I’m going to look into! Thank you! xxx
Ohhhh he is adorable – love him. Can’t wait to watch him grow. Hope Meisha comes around – poor little thing :-)
A x
I know, he’s such a cutie but oh I feel so bad for Meisha! And also, I kinda miss her (because she was always my constant companion through the day) – so I’m really hoping she starts coming around soon! xxx
Oh he is beautiful! I am a dog mum too and know that you must be smitten already!
Aww thank you! Yep, he’s a little sweetie! Challenging of course but I can’t really resist that sweet face ;) xxx
What an adorable pup! I hope you don’t mind shedding fur. Look at that undercoat!! We had a Welsh Corgi for years – the best dog ever, but his shedding was a challenge. I highly recommend crate training. I have trained two puppies this way and it works!
What a beautiful little dog. I haven’t seen a Sheltie for years. Evidently not looking hard enough! But they are beautiful and you will have years of fun with him. We have cats but would love a small dog if we could persuade the divas among them to allow it!
Have fun
Alison xx
Oh look at that face! What a little charmer. Afraid I can’t offer any nuggets of wisdom re: dog training but in terms of cuteness factor Quito is a 10 out of 10! From what you say it sounds like he’ll be a similar size to our cat once fully grown (we have a tubby Norwegian Forest) – the perfect size for cuddles, smooshing and tummy rubs :).
Sooooooooooooo adorable! Very jealous hehe. Enjoy play time x
OMG, what a little darling! So absolutely adorable!!!
I said it once, and I’ll say it again.
HE’S SO FLUFFY, I’M GONNA DIE!!!
I want to apply my face to his belly so badly.
ALL OF THE FLOOFY PAWS.
And his little face.
SQUEEEEEEEEE :D
I used to have a Sheltie when I was growing up. She was adorable and a total character. It’s true about the herding instincts. There were 6 of us in our family and she would walk from room to room if we were apart and only settled when we were all together – she would then invariably squeeze into the smallest possible space in between us on the sofa (which often meant perching on a shoulder!). When we went out for walks she would incessantly run from the front to the back of the ‘pack’, even if it was some distance to keep us herded together.
She was a bit bigger than most Shelties with a big furry backside that she used to wiggle a lot. Happy memories! I hope Quito brings you as much joy as ours did.