Meet Pepper!! – Peanut Butter Fingers

PEPPER!

In line with Ryder her full identify is Fuzzy Pepperoni, however we agreed to name her Pepper as a result of it’s a liiittle simpler.

We welcomed Pepper into our household on Sunday afternoon. Ryan drove two hours to South Carolina to choose her up from Upstate SC Hearts for Paws Animal Rescue after which drove the 2 hours again dwelling with our new lady so she may formally meet her new household!

I first discovered about Pepper proper earlier than Thanksgiving. I subscribed to a vizsla rescue e-mail listing a couple of month after Sadie died. We have been nowhere close to prepared for an additional canine however I additionally felt prefer it wouldn’t harm to see if any vizslas wanted a house and is likely to be a great match for our household when the time was proper. Apparently vizslas are coveted on the adoption entrance as a result of for over a yr, we by no means noticed one pop as much as rescue in North Carolina and the canines we noticed out there for adoption in different Southeastern states have been scooped up rapidly (which is a completely fantastic factor).

Often, when a vizsla adoption e-mail would come via, I’d discover myself clicking the hyperlinks and different candy canines who wanted houses. The timing was by no means proper as we’ll have lived in 4 houses by the top of the yr, however now that we’re simply a few weeks away from our large, closing transfer, a canine felt like one thing we may do once more.

I’ve at all times gravitated towards medium or giant canines however then at some point Ryder noticed a teeny little chihuahua within the passenger’s seat of a automobile and was so obsessive about that little factor. It sparked one thing within me and made me assume possibly slightly canine would possibly mesh properly with our household on this stage of life. Our boys adore animals and liked taking part in with Sadie a lot. I knew they’d love any canine we introduced dwelling however a spunky little canine they might cuddle and gently carry? Properly, I had a sense that might be heaven on 4 furry legs for them.

I discussed the concept to Ryan just a few months in the past and he was totally on board. We nonetheless very a lot hope to have a vizsla once more at some point however started to take a look at breeds exterior of vizslas to undertake.

Adopting a canine has 1,000,000 and one advantages past offering an exquisite animal with a protected and loving dwelling. So many wonderful rescues and canine foster households on the market might help match you with a canine that matches your loved ones and it was so extremely useful to me as a mother of three younger boys to have extra details about a canine earlier than welcoming a pet we could have for years and years into our household. The data Upstate SC Hearts for Paws Animal Rescue shared about Pepper made me assume she is likely to be the proper match for us. They described her as candy, loving and affectionate and nice round children and folks. They stated she didn’t bark a lot in any respect (one thing I frightened slightly would possibly make Rhett nervous) and was not aggressive. She was in a short time checking so lots of our bins!

Once I expressed my curiosity in Pepper, I used to be requested to fill out an in depth adoption kind which I did inside 10 minutes as a result of I felt myself turning into increasingly more hooked up to Pepper from afar. The following day the rescue checked in with the vet we used after we had Sadie as a reference level (one thing I LOVE that they do!) and we talked on the telephone for a bit. After we have been informed Pepper may very well be ours pending an in-person assembly, we have been thrilled! Ryan and I stored all of this quiet from the boys. As fantastic as Pepper appeared from the rescue’s description we nonetheless didn’t need to point out something till we have been in a position to meet her in particular person.

Ryan stated it was clear instantly that Pepper would mesh properly with our crew. She was spunky and loving, slightly shy at first however clearly a really affectionate canine. As soon as I heard this from Ryan, I informed the boys Dad was on his approach dwelling with a really particular shock. That they had no thought what was coming their approach and have been past thrilled when teeny Pepper got here operating into the lounge.

So how’s it going up to now? Actually, rather well!!! It was very clear the primary day that Pepper was slightly nervous in her new dwelling. She actually needed to be proper up towards us if we have been seated however was skittish and would need to run behind us after we have been strolling round. She’s not nice on a leash in the intervening time and Ryan and I had main flashbacks to strolling Sadie on a leash at first when she’d simply sit down within the grass and we’d need to encourage her and gently pull her alongside. Pepper will get there!

Pepper is about 5 months previous (we expect) and was already crate skilled on the rescue which was not one thing we have been aware of since Ryan and I majorly failed at crate coaching Sadie. (Sadie cried the primary evening and we let her sleep with us and all was over from there.) We needed to make Pepper’s transition into life with our household as easy as attainable so we purchased her a crate, canine mattress and a pair toys. I additionally unboxed the issues we saved from Sadie and located one in all Sadie’s previous blankets to incorporate in her crate as properly. (Fact time: I didn’t wash Sadie’s blankets after she died as a result of I needed them to retain her scent. Quick ahead 1.5 years later and I opened the field of her issues and it smelled terrible. Like a mixture of previous animal and plastic and I felt a large wash of disappointment that I really won’t ever scent Sadie’s comforting scent once more.)

Pepper is a reasonably quiet canine and didn’t whine or bark a lot in any respect the primary day we had her however after we put her in her crate at evening she cried a bit so Ryan and I let her sleep with us. It was a stressed evening and he or she appeared to pop up at each little factor which made us assume she actually could be extra comfy and fewer confused in her personal house in her crate. I reached out to the rescue for some ideas and did extra analysis on crate coaching. I’m completely satisfied to report Pepper’s second evening went 1,000,000 instances higher so right here’s hoping we will stick with it, as I believe having her crate with us within the rental home after which our new home will assist with continuity for Pepper and make our upcoming transfer slightly simpler for her. (I additionally simply ordered her the Snuggle Puppy heartbeat toy that’s supposed to assist with comforting canines of their crate since she was used to sleeping in a crate surrounded by different crated canines. TBD on whether or not it not it helps!) Are we slightly loopy for getting a canine two(ish) weeks earlier than we transfer into our new home? Perhaps! However Pepper wanted a house and we felt a robust want to present her a loving one.

Pepper is a tiny little factor — about 6 kilos! — and is at the moment happiest curled up in our laps or towards our legs on the sofa. She’s been completely incredible with the boys. She’s going to relaxation of their laps for hours, falls asleep proper up towards them and appears to completely relish the eye and love they provide her. I’m taking it as an awesome signal that she stays curled up towards the massive children of their room once they’re studying collectively even after Ryan and I go away the room and the door is large open.

As soon as we welcomed Pepper into our dwelling, naming her turned a high precedence! We tossed round a bunch of various names (Gigi, Phoebe, Lucy, Cici) however when Chase stated Pepper, we knew it was the one! Ryder insisted her full identify actually be “Fuzzy Pepperoni” in order that’s the place we landed.

We’re so completely satisfied to have Fuzzy Pepperoni — “Pepper” — as the latest member of our household! Welcome dwelling, Pepper! We already love you tons!