Introducing Woody

Little guy, big news!  We are getting a puppy!  A schnoodle!  I discovered the schnoodle when researching for hypoallergenic breeds after we found out my daughter has a severe allergy to dogs.  I found a local breeder last year and we went to her house to meet a litter of pups (who were already sold at the time).  I put us on a wait list that night - on February 12, 2016!  Lauren has literally begged for a puppy for years!  A lot of changes occurred since Feb 2016, namely the loss of my sweet boy, Buford, and the addition of another sweet boy, Vinny.  We adopted Vinny on April 1 and, no joke, about two weeks later we got a call that it was our turn on the schnoodle list and the litter was due at the end of May.  What timing, huh!?  I waited two more months before I even told the kids.  We couldn't control the timing of the litter of course, so we are instead embracing it and while I am very nervous, I am also very excited - and most importantly hopeful that everyone will get along!  We've never had a puppy before and I hope we are all ready!  I know the people can handle it, just crossing my fingers that all the pups can too!

For those that have never heard of a schnoodle (I hadn't until last year), here are some brief descriptions from various websites.  Sounds like an all around great fit (though I must admit that I'm not exactly looking forward to barking, but hopefully we can curtail that - if necessary)!

• Smart, active, and adorable, the Schnoodle has become a popular hybrid dog breed.  He's a cross between the Poodle and the Schnauzer and can be found in many colors. The Schnoodle has a place as a lap dog, a family dog, a therapy dog, or a performance dog. The vast majority of them are small dogs. The appeal of this hybrid is that they generally have the Poodle’s willingness to please mixed with the sturdiness and activity of the Schnauzer. Playful and lovable, this dog lives to have fun and is always the center of attention.

• Schnoodles are known to be active dogs, full of personality with long life spans, relatively few health problems and gentle dispositions. The breed is hypoallergenic and fits well into a household with pet allergies. These dogs socialize well with children and can live in households with multiple pets. An intelligent breed, these dogs can also be trained as therapy dogs and participate in agility training.

• The Schnoodle is a popular designer breed. A mix of the Schnauzer and Poodle, this breed brings together some of the best attributes of both original breeds. Gentle with children, this dog is an affectionate and playful companion for people of all ages. If you are looking for a family dog, consider a Schnoodle.

• Schnoodles have even, gentle temperaments. They are very affectionate and loyal to their family. The dogs are friendly with the people they know, but may be cautious of strangers because of a Schnauzer watch-dog tendency. These dogs will bark when a stranger arrives.  The dogs are active, intelligent and curious about the world around them. Most schnoodles remain playful well into old age. While they prefer some form of daily play, they are also happy to lie at their owner's feet or on a lap.  Though active, they only require minimal exercise. Following the family around the house and a daily walk or short play in the backyard is sufficient exercise. The dogs can live in either a house or an apartment.  The breed does well with children of all ages. They also socialize well with other dogs and animals, including cats and smaller pets.

There's no doubt that big changes are coming our way!  We are excited and I will add Woody's journey to this blog as we document our memories with our beloved four-legged companions!

Without further ado, introducing Woody...

He was born on May 29, 2017 in a litter of 7 puppies - 5 boys and 2 girls.  Here is teh newborn litter.

1 week old...

2 weeks old...

3 weeks old...

4 weeks old...

5 weeks old...

Up until this point, we had just been following updates from the breeder and still didn't know which puppy would be ours.  At 6 weeks old, we got to meet the litter in person :)  We were actually first on the list to choose our puppy so we had a very hard decision with five precious little playful pups to choose from (we had already decided that we wanted a boy). 

After spending some time with the puppies and the breeder, we narrowed it to three, then two, then let Lauren make the ultimate decision.  She chose Woody!  I must admit he was my favorite too!  He was the most playful and curious and kept coming back for more attention.  He loved snuggles and shoestrings and he was our boy!  Woody was actually Tracy's second favorite and if left up to him, he would have chosen a little boy named Bailey, but he was happy with Woody too.  Chi Chi was not quite sure what to think of wiggly puppies just yet, but she was agreeable with whatever her sister wanted!

We didn't get a 6 week picture update from the breeder, but here are a few I took that day (July 8).

That's Woody playing with my purse (Brownie is on her lap - he was her second pick) and below Woody is the one standing up against the playpen!  He might be a little troublemaker, but he's going to be a lot of fun too!  LOL  :-)

One happy little girl!

And here's the final update from the breeder - 7 weeks old.

The breeder gave him the name Woody, but my daughter wants to keep it (as does my husband) so Woody it is!  I wasn't sure at first, but the name has definitely grown on me and I love it now too! Plus, Lauren went through a huge Toy Story phase when she was younger so I think it makes it even cuter with that connection.

Woody is 8 weeks old today!  We pick him up on Thursday morning!  Wish us luck! ;-)