Bringing our Havanese pupster home

Going to get our daughter's new havanese puppy from the breeder was an fun adventure for the whole family. While we did significant research to prepare, there was a lot that we just didn't realize. Thankfully, like human babies, new puppies are pretty forgiving - at first.

We drove from Brooklyn, NY to the rolling hills of Lancaster, PA. This is deep Amish country, folks. I swerved around more horse and buggies than you could shake a stick at. The farmhouse we arrived at was surrounded by cornfields, tall with stalks just about ready for harvest. The family raises puppies as a side business, and they kept the pups in the barn, just next to their home.

Our little love loaf was the only girl of the litter, and she has the attitude of a sister with three brothers. Our entire family swooned! We watched her sniff and explore and roughhouse with her brothers for a while, and paid attention to her interactions with our kids. Within a half-hour we had Venmo'ed the breeder and were getting ready for the 2.5 hr drive home.

The breeder included a few 'get you started' items. One was a summary of the puppy's health, provided by their vet. It included the puppy's birthdate, medical condition, and immunizations. Second was a lunch-baggie of the food they had been feeding the litter, so we could transition her slowly to other food. Third was a cute binky/plush that she'd been sleeping and playing with, and that had her mom's scent.

What puppy paraphernalia did we bring with us? Well, a number of things that we ultimately did and didn't need. I had packed a travel carrier, a retractable leash, a portable water bottle, some puppy treats, and a roll of poop bags.

Turns out she didn't use the carrier. She just slept in my daughter's lap, on the binky, for the ride home. As directed by other puppy experts, we stopped every 90-120 minutes for potty breaks on the way home. Even though the rest stops had plenty of grassy space, our new pup was too shy to go bathroom, and obviously nervous in general with all the new people and places.

Upon bringing her home, we set up the apartment to limit her sensory input. The first night was just like having a newborn kid, with both my wife and I getting up in the middle of the night to play, potty, and care for our little fluff ninja.

My daughter decided to name her Callie - she likes the way it sounds, and I think it matches her scrappy yet affectionate spirit.