Four books you should read while cuddling your pup (+ a serendipitous story about Miss Waffles).

The delicate clink of nails on hardwood. The little grunt to be lifted onto the couch. The daily bedtime snuggles with her weight on my chest and breath on my neck. The shared body heat on cold mornings. The laughter that comes from us when she throws a tantrum over having to a wear a harness. The trail of water that she leaves across the floor after she drinks. The sheer and simple joy that she has brought into our home.

Before this became a norm, a hard decision had to be made. This blog post is the serendipitous story of how Miss Waffles became ours and four books that I have read, under a pile of blankets, with her curled up at my feet. 

* * *

This past year, my first love, a little chihuahua named Tiny, passed. She was my protecter from the things that stirred in the night during my childhood years and my confidant during those tough teenage ones that followed. I loved her dearly. When I moved to the city, I tried to bring her with me, but it was too hard for her to leave our family home. And so back to the country Tiny went, but I always kept her close in my heart. 

*fast forward a handful of years*

I had Miss Waffles' name picked out two years before she was ours. She wasn't supposed to be our dog. At first. 

Too many years had gone by without a dog in my home and because of that something was always missing. After years of begging and pleading, my boyfriend (now husband) finally agreed to go look at the puppies from a local breeder that I found after hours of careful research and a great many phone calls. The journey to the breeder's house was slow. The snow had recently decided to stick around for the winter months and the roads were slick. I keep my hand in my pocket wrapped around the bills that I had secretly stashed for a deposit. You know, if needed ... 

When we arrived to the house that I had prayed would be the home of our future puppy, I could hardly contain my excitement. But before I could even reach the front door, this little golden nugget with black beady eyes came running outside while the others waddled behind. The Mister and I looked at each other knowing this little leader of the crew was the one. It was smaller than the others - the runt, yet demanded more presence than them all put together. I scooped it up on my arms, kissed its little face, and turned to the breeder to fearfully ask if this puppy had been claimed. Her response? "No, but I cannot sell this puppy. I recently discovered that it has a cleft palate. It may die soon." She proceeded to tell us about all the extra love she had to give this pup. It was obvious that she cared deeply and was very sadden by the circumstances. And so we went to look at the two puppies that we had originally come to see. All the while, this little golden nugget with the beady black eyes nipped at our kneels and tried to jump on our laps. 

The breeder had agreed to let us give the runt a home, if we acknowledged that we may have to deal with cleft palate surgery at some point and potential death. The Mister was ok with this, you see, he was very smitten with her and wanted to give her a chance. Me on the other hand? I didn't know if my heart could handle saying goodbye prematurely. Before we left, I asked the breeder what she had named the runt. She told me she called her Tiny. I was immediately flooded with a lifetime of memories made with my first dog and before I could stop myself I opened my heart to the little runt we now call Miss Waffles. Fate had brought us together and a bond was forever formed. 

*Five years have passed and Miss Waffles has never had an issue with her cleft palate.  

FOUR BOOKS TO READ WHILE CUDDLING YOUR PUP:

THE OTHER END OF THE LEASH BY PATRICIA MCCONELL. If you are new to dog ownership this is a must-read! It covers the bases of what you should and shouldn't do with your pup and the logic behind it. This book has truly helped me gain insight to how my behaviour affects Miss Waffles and has given me the perspective needed to be patient with her. 

GASTON BY KELLY DIPUCCHIO AND CHRISTIAN ROBINSON. This a heartfelt children's book by a New York Times bestselling author. It is a tale about how a french bulldog tries to find his place with his four poodle siblings. It is mighty adorable with beautiful illustrations.  

THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN BY GARTH STEIN. This New York Times bestseller shows you the world through a dog's eyes. Nearing his end, a loyal pup, reminisces about his owners' world and his place in it. Be prepared to cry. This is one of the saddest books I have ever read. So full of hope and despair. 

FIFTEEN DOGS BY ANDRE ALEXIS. This is a tale of fifteen dogs who are given human consciousness and language by the Greek gods, Hermes and Apollo. Set in Toronto, Canada, this is a story about the struggle to adapt to new circumstances or to stay connected to the comfort of the known. A great read for all my Greek mythology lovers. 

DEVICES TO HELP YOU READ COMFORTABLY WITH ONE HAND WHILE YOU GIVE BELLY RUBS WITH THE OTHER:

What are your favourite books to read with your pup?

Photos by Sharon Litchfield, edited by moi. 

Cheers, j. 

This blog post was sponsored by Amazon, but all the shared opinions are my own. The businesses I support on this blog are backed by my genuine love. Thank you for supporting the businesses that help With Justine grow.