#72 Karen's New Puppy

[greer]

According to a summary I read, in this one Midgie runs away. Is Midgie gone for good?

[aln1982]

I don't remember anything about this except that they get a new puppy that is too much trouble. I don't remember Midgie running away at all but that might be why they get the new dog. I do remember they have to get rid of it in the end, though. I just ordered this one and am anxious now for it to arrive so I can read it and find out what happens ;D

[scrounge]

Bumping a couple of old threads today to talk about Karen's families and their pets. When I was first collecting the Little Sister series, I got this one right around the same time as two or three other books with one-shot pets, and that gave me a perception of Karen's families acquiring animals willy-nilly and giving them all away the second they became a problem. Today when I actually pulled all the pet books I could remember, only a few made me think "this is a bad pet decision." This was one of them.

Sadie was acquired from a shelter, and it had to be a puppy so they could raise her themselves.

Given Up: Repeatedly, because she keeps doing puppy things and doesn’t get along with Rocky. It is terribly surprising that Rocky, who adapted sooooo well to Lucky (see #59), doesn’t get along with this puppy. As the Engles try to rehome Sadie, she is first given to a large family but they give her back because with so many kids around she doesn’t listen to anyone and she threw up her lunch. The second time she is given to the nice old couple who had cared for Midgie, who was lost and presumed dead for much of this book. They were initially reluctant, because a golden retriever puppy is much different than a small adult dog, but then change their minds for no readily apparent reason. I hope it worked out well for them.

My thoughts: Hated this book. Hated, hated, hated. They could have just as easily adopted an adult dog from the shelter. Not all dogs are given up for behavior problems. They likely could have found a nice, trained dog whose owner had to move, and if they’d gotten an adult dog, they might know if it was a dog who got along with cats or not. Seth insisted that he had to get a puppy, then took extra time off work to train the puppy, then got rid of the puppy when it continued to do puppy like things such as chew inappropriately and take longer than expected to be housebroken. Also Lisa and Seth are pretty much terrible at introducing animals to each other.

I'm glad they got Midgie back in the end. It always seemed that Midgie was the only other animal Rocky ever tolerated.

[sparklymouse]

Midgie really wasn't gone very long before they went out and got the puppy. I'll need a bit of an adjustment period between my current pets and any I get after they're gone, but I suppose not everyone does.

I've never actually picked out my own pets. They've all been given to me by family members. It breaks my heart though when I see adult pets that have been surrendered to shelters by their owners. It's sad that they're less likely to be adopted because people want puppies or kittens.

[aln1982]

Since I can't stand dogs and would never have one in the house, Sadie sounded intolerable to me. ;D I was glad they gave her away so I didn't have to read about her doing "puppy things". But I know lots of people are huge dog lovers and can't relate. To each his own.....
I thought this book was cute, though, not sure why anymore as it's been a while since I read it. ;D

[greer]

i don't understand people who give away puppies when they're being difficult... they're puppies, that's what they do. it's your job as owner to train them to behave well--and if you can't train them yourself, then do an obedience class. otherwise just get a hamster or something and be done with it. puppies need a lot of love and patience.

i don't think i could read this book... it would make me too mad. and i usually love seth.

oh and btw ann's dog that she talks about all the time is named sadie...

[aln1982]

^ I think everyone's opinion about dogs and pets is different. I can see where you are coming from Greer since I know you're a big dog person (do you have one, btw? ) but also can see where the Engles where coming from, too. Agree that they probably should have chosen a different pet. If people want dogs, they have to deal with them. It would be just like wanting to get a horse and not ever wanting to take care of it (or pay someone else to ;D) or any other animal.

[greer]

my mom has a dog and my dad has one, but i don't live with either of them. I'm not really in a place in my life where i can have one (too much time spent in different countries), but as soon as i am, i'm getting a puppy.

[aln1982]

^ That's what I figured. ;D
To add to my earlier thoughts, I wonder if the Engles just got a puppy because it was the "thing to do." I think a lot of people do that because they think that everyone is supposed to have a dog, they've had dogs in the past, etc. My dad always had a dog outside and we had one for years when I was little but then after we hadn't had it for a while, he realized that he didn't even miss having one but had just had it because he "always had a dog and everyone should have a dog." Also, people tend to not be able to understand if you don't like dogs. I'm always getting "but how can you not like dogs?" and that gets annoying. I wonder if some people say they like them just so they don't have to hear that. ;D
Anyway, the point is that the Engles probably should not have had a puppy. But for some reason, I still liked this book and even though I don't like dogs, the puppy did sound cute. I was glad she found a good home.
What was the subplot of this one? Was this where they build the treehouse?

[greer]

i understand why people don't like dogs because i hate cats

[sweetvalleygirl99]

I used to be a real cat lover when I was little but now I think they're creepy. I like the older cats that just lay around and ignore you, but kittens are creepy, especially when they just randomly jump on you.

[aln1982]

I think my biggest problem with dogs (and starting to be with cats too) is that I'm so allergic that any time I'm around them, I get sick so associate getting sick with the animal (if that makes any sense). Right now, I can "smell" dogs just thinking about them. ;D I also get really sick of the barking dog across the street and barking dogs at campgrounds are the worst.

[greer]

yeah my stepmom's dog barks constantly--it's a little maltese and it's super annoying. my mom's dog is great and hardly ever barks, plus he's a poodle so he wouldn't make you very allergic aln ;D

[annieb]

I also can't understand why some parents think it's okay to dispose of pets either. They should just train the puppy to behave, and they won't have some much problems with it.

[Deleted]

I have two labs a three year old yellow lab that we bought at a year old that was already trained and a choclate that I got when she was a puppy I love them both and don't think I could give them up. I would love to read this book.