Mystery Puppy

Boris, my first born dog child, looking skeptical about the newcomer.

Our new friend by the fence he mysteriously got in through.

New friend (who I would like to call Parker) settling in.

Parker? wondering why I would put pictures of my ugly couch on the Internet.

This morning I was so angry at my neighbor that I could have spit. Correction. This morning at 5am I was so mad at my neighbors that I could have screamed and then spit. I wasn't sure which neighbor but I was very mad. The neighborhood was alive with barking dogs and no one was helping the situation by removing theirs from the chorus.

Slightly more awake, I wondered if through the night I had let my dog, Boris outside and he was contributing to the noise. I sat up. There was Boris. Sound asleep. Through all the racket. Figures.

I closed my eyes and said to Jamie, "If that was our dog there would have been a call to animal control an hour ago."

The barking continued.

And continued.

I did a roll call.

I could hear Ava the Dog de Argentine from 2 doors down. I could hear Moe the Shitzu from next door. I could hear the dog in my yard. WAIT NOW!

I jump out of bed, navigate around the bassinet which was holding peaceful baby Bridget and look out the window.

There, in my backyard was a little black puppy (and I do use the word 'little' loosely...we have a 80lb Alaskan Malamute who makes a small horse look like a yard statue).

I race down over the stairs and fling open the patio door to investigate this arrival. We have a 6 foot fence on all sides. This dog must have been a reject from the movie 'Jumper'. There was no way for him to get in. Unless someone dumped him in. Or he teleported himself and I am not a big believer in that.

Now...you may be thinking...who would have dumped such a cute puppy into Amy's backyard. You may right to ask this. Except for the fact that about this time last year, someone dumped a Boston Terrier into my backyard. Animal control were nice enough to come and take it away after it bashed it's head into the patio door trying to get at Jamie. A dog the size of a shoe tried to attack my boyfriend. It was a little funny after they came with the neck collar on the 6' pole and dragged him away. No Boston Terriers for me. I will keep my dog who looks like a wolf and sleeps on the bed.

......But I digress.....

I sit writing this, with a beautiful black puppy who has gigantic feet investigating the noises coming from the baby monitor. I am not sure where he came from, or even where he is going. I know that I might love him even if I find out that one of the neighbors loves him and would like to have him back. They can gladly have him back, he is a wonderful dog. I hope someone didn't dump him in my yard because they didn't love him. I hope he has a good home. And I hope that if he doesn't already have one, that Jamie will let me let him have a good home at my house.

NOON HOUR UPDATE

It's been a VERY long morning!

'Jumper' as Jamie took to calling him (what with him mysteriously appearing in our yard) turns out to have a mischievous streak. After eating a pair of my flip flops, a pair of Bridget's socks, a rattle and trying to eat a blanket he found the treasure! As I was changing the garbage and he found a diaper. The ensuing battle was nothing short of unfortunate and resulted in him having a bath in the sink and needing his collar washed.

While I was washing his collar, Jumper nearly got a shock as he tried to eat my laptop cord. Boris, long tired of his antics went for a nap. Of course, that was short lived as Jumper thought to chew on Boris' tail.

Finally, realizing that I am entirely too old to have a puppy, a baby, and a Husky, I didn't know what to do so I put all 4 legged friends in the yard.

Just to make my day run a little smoother I hear..."Youhooo...Anyone home," from the back of the house. Great, I think. The dog's owner noticed him outdoors and came to get him. No such luck. Who else would it be but the maintenance man for the condo board, removing my fence. Yes. Your eyes do no deceive you. They were physically removing my fence to erect a new one. I needed to wrangle all the dogs now wrestling in the backyard and get them back into the house where Bridget was having a nap. As I chased them around I try to explain to the guy that the puppy isn't mine, that he just appeared in my yard. You wouldn't believe his response. EVER.

"You don't mind taking stray animals into your house?"

"No, not really. He is clean and friendly." replied slightly frazzled me.

"Oh good! You see, this kitten has been following us around all day. I don't think she has a home...Can you take her?" said the man who forgot to put his brain in his tool kit today.

I hope he didn't find me rude as I stomped into the house with my 80lb dog, my garbage disposing stray and a headache to comfort my screaming infant.

About an hour went by before my Advil kicked in and things were beginning to settle. All canines and babies were napping soundly and there were only mild construction noises emanating from the backyard.

I finally steel my nerve and face the fact that I can't possible keep this dog, no matter how cute he is. I have to call Animal Control. I try to look up the number without much luck. No where can I find the number for the City of Edmonton phone line for cute but trouble causing puppies that appear in your yard. I stomp out my front door and quiz my neighbor. Brilliant. I listen to her complain at me about having 'MY' dog barking at 5am. I finally explain to her that it isn't my dog and she stomps off to get a pamphlet. She has a pamphlet. There is the number, right in front of my eyes. I dial the number, all the while having second thoughts. It didn't matter anyway. It's easier to get ahold of the Pope.

While I am navigating my way through the voicemail jungle of the City of Edmonton, a man knocked on my door. It was Jumper's owner. He had been missing 'Bandit' for 3 days and his kids were very sad about it. There was a very touching reunion with 2 little kids, a Dad and a dog on our lawn, and then...as if by miracle...as they walked away, they took my headache with them.

Have a great life Bandit...it's been a fun morning!