Hello friends, in the last post, I shared about Caesar’s health issues & how we came out of that difficult phase. In today’s post, I want to write about all of Caesar’s first from the first year with us. Our good time started in May 2015, and the way it was going, I thought nothing could go wrong then.

But by the end of the year, we had to make some tough decisions that involved keeping Caesar away from us. What happened that we had to make such a cruel decision? Read this post till the end to know the reason.

You may read Part 1 of the series here – In memory of our fur baby, Caesar!

Part 2 of the series here – How we met our fur baby, Caesar?

And Part 3 here – Caesar’s First Month & Health Issues!

But before moving onto the sad part, I want to share some of the beautiful moments from 2015. Here are Caesar’s first memorable moments –

May 2015 – It was a month of travels & meet-ups

Caesar’s First outing to India Gate

The first 15 days were exhausting for both Caesar and me. So, as soon as we got the green signal from his doctor, we planned a family picnic at India Gate, Delhi. It was a refreshing break for us.

Visited Dadi House – Long Drive 

It didn’t take us long to plan another outing for Caesar since we soon realized he loved traveling just like his mom & dad. So, the next week we visited Dadi’s house to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Caesar was meeting Dadi for the first time, but surprisingly, he was quite comfortable around her. It’s true that dogs can sense our feelings & emotions for them. He loved running around Dadi, and Dadi used to spoil him with his favorite treats.

1st Month Celebration

Then came 15th May, Caesar had completed one month with us. We used to cut a cake every month to celebrate our wedding date, but this time we had one more reason to rejoice. So, we cut a cake with Caesar though he didn’t get to eat it. But he was happy!

First Bath 

Caesar got his first bath after 40 days of coming home. It was a new experience for both of us. He had no idea what was about to happen to him. And, I had no idea how to handle an afraid pup. As soon as I poured the first mug of water on his body, he shrieked and ran out of the bathroom. I ran after him, almost surviving the great fall on the slippery floor.

After giving him a pep talk for a few minutes, I realized this would take a thoughtful strategy if I don’t want to develop a fear of bathing in him. Well, it worked!

How he got his first bath may not sound the right way, but we both had a fun time 😀

I took him in my lap, talked to him, comforted him, showed him his toys floating in the water & then splashed little water on him. I could tell he was enjoying & that was my cue.

Found a nice article on How to Bathe a Nervous Dog. Check it out!

June 2015 – Name & Collar, Toddlerhood, Good News, a Month away from Caesar

Caesar was now teething; he was soon to enter the toddler stage. And, he was getting naughtier by each passing day. Caesar loved running around, playing & chewing whatever he could find. His favorite pastime, just like any other pup, was chewing slippers. And his favorite toy was a 2L empty bottle of Sprite.

This month we finally named him. His chaachu had suggested the name ‘Caesar,’ which we liked instantly. And, then we got him his first collar, which he never liked wearing.

My cutie baby

In the first week of June, we got to know that we were pregnant. I was excited that Caesar would soon be a big brother now. But I was worried too, thinking about how he would accept the new baby since he himself was too young.

You may also read – My Roller Coaster Pregnancy Story!

I guess he had already sensed it & he was not happy about it. His behavior changed, or was it me? I don’t remember exactly, but I was getting irritated at every little thing. And Caesar was doing everything to get my attention.

And then came the day when we had to leave for London for a month, leaving Caesar with his Nani. We thought it would be good for all of us. But I didn’t think about Caesar, just left him when he was craving for my attention the most!

This image belongs to www.growingwithnemit.com, and reuse is strictly not permitted.

July/Aug/Sep 2015 – Video Calls, Reunion & Good Times

The third month of my first trimester was not that good even though I had all the reasons to be happy. I missed Caesar, and the video calls were the only way to communicate with him now. I was so sick for the whole month that I spent all my time in bed. The only thing that would give me happy vibes was hubby returning from the office and watching Caesar’s funny antics on the phone.

This image belongs to www.growingwithnemit.com, and reuse is strictly not permitted.

Month-end we were back home; Caesar looked different. He was bigger and naughtier. But I noticed that he was now better at communicating his needs. He had big, beautiful, expressive eyes; I loved how he moved them when I used to talk to him as if he was trying to understand everything.

This image belongs to www.growingwithnemit.com, and reuse is strictly not permitted.

The next three months were amazing. My second trimester was smooth. Caesar helped me cope up with the pregnancy anxiety; he would always stay close to me. It seemed he knew I needed him more than anything else.

Caesar was turning out to be a handsome dog; he was curious, playful & empathetic.

This image belongs to www.growingwithnemit.com, and reuse is strictly not permitted.

Oct 2015 – Caesar’s First Road Trip to Jaipur

It was hubby’s birthday, and I planned a surprise family trip to Jaipur. But this time, we were not leaving Caesar behind. I looked for the best dog-friendly resort to make the stay comfortable for Caesar. I will share about this trip in the next part.

Dec 2015 – I had to keep Caesar away from me

In my last trimester of pregnancy, things became difficult since I was going through emotional turmoil due to changing hormones. I could not give enough time to tend to Caesar’s needs.

This image belongs to www.growingwithnemit.com, and reuse is strictly not permitted.

We could not prepare & train him in time for the new phase. Caesar was not ready; I could sense his anxiety. He was getting hyperactive & more demanding of my attention. But I couldn’t do anything to help him. To avoid any mishaps, we had to take this difficult decision to keep Caesar away for a few months at mom’s house.

I left him alone once again when he needed me. We know this was not the right decision & we definitely could have done better at training him when there was time. I wish I could go back in time!

PIN IT!

If you are also in a similar situation like us, where you have a young dog and expecting a baby, then more than anything else, focus on training your dog. If you can’t do it yourself, hire a professional.

You have to prepare your dog for the new situation, start as early as possible, don’t leave it for later.

Your fur baby can sense the change but can’t adjust to it without your help. He may be anxious & afraid and may behave in a completely different manner, but you have to understand him.

And, please don’t keep him away from you! He needs you the most at this time. 

I am doing a blog series this month in memory of our fur baby, #My_Son_Caesar.

You may read the other parts of the series here, Part 1, Part 2 & Part 3

Since this is the month of #MyFriendAlexa by Blogchatter, I will be linking all my posts to their website. Do check out the new reloaded Blogchatter website to discover some amazing blogs, bloggers, and campaigns.

Click on the below link to read the next part

How to Prepare for a Road Trip with your Dog? – Blog Series (Part-5)

The post Caesar’s First from the First Year | Why We Left him? – Blog Series (Part-4) appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hello friends, I want to thank each of you who visited the blog last week & left their comments on our posts. In today’s post, I will be writing about Caesar’s first month with us & his health issues. We brought him home on 15 April 2015; his owner had told us that he was 2 months old. But that poor little thing didn’t look like even a day older than a month. Raising a pup is just like raising a human baby. But with Caesar, it was like raising a premature baby.

You may read Part 1 of the series here – In memory of our fur baby, Caesar!

You may read Part 2 of the series here – How we met our fur baby, Caesar?

After paying the owner, we took the pup to a nearby Animal Hospital to ensure that the baby was doing fine. The doctor just looked at him & declared the puppy was healthy. We were relieved & happy, but not for long.

When we reached home, we realized something was not right with him. He was not able to stand & walk properly; even the way he was sitting seemed weird. We had no idea what was happening with him. At first, we thought maybe it was because of the change of place, but then he started gagging.

For a moment, it felt like we were going to lose him!

PIN IT!

We didn’t waste time & immediately took him to a private vet clinic, where the doctor told us how bad his condition was. He explained how the next 15 days would be crucial & if his health didn’t improve, no one could save him.

He gave some medicines & instructed us on how to take care of him. Like, keeping him warm & hydrated, not to take him outside. He was not to be given a bath & he should not be left alone. Also, how to introduce semi-solid food & how to give him medicines. We noted down everything!

Caesar’s first 15 days, raising a pup.

The first few days were challenging. It was a struggle to put medicines in his mouth; I had to push the pills deep into his throat & every time, it seemed like he would choke. Feeding him was another struggle. I used to feed him every 2 hours using a syringe for semi-solids & a milk bottle for liquids. But he would vomit out everything after some time.

Caesar sleeping on my pillow
This image belongs to www.growingwithnemit.com, and reuse is strictly not permitted

He used to sleep the whole day, and sometimes I had to feed him in his half-dead state. Those were the terrifying days; I would check up on him every few minutes to see if he was breathing or not. Also, he used to cry at night, so we shifted our bed to the floor to give him company. And, every morning, I would find him snuggling near my pillow.

I knew he wanted to be with me; he wanted me to be his mommy.

In my heart, I could feel the love growing more and more each day for that little pup. I have never felt those feelings before, but I soon realized that I was experiencing the emotions of a mother.

“Mother is a verb. It’s something you do. Not just who you are.” – Cheryl Lacey Donovan

After a week, his health started improving; his appetite was back & he was gaining weight. He was now recognizing my voice and would follow me everywhere, even to the bathroom. It was nothing short of a miracle to see him grow.

Caesar’s doctor was quite surprised to see the improvement in his health. He told us that our baby is now out of danger. We had to continue the treatment for another 15 days to get him ready for his first vaccination.

Caesar after 15 days
This image belongs to www.growingwithnemit.com, and reuse is strictly not permitted

We had not yet decided a name for our fur baby, so we used to call him ‘Baby.’

Many people want to bring a puppy home just because they are cute & fun. But what they don’t realize is that raising a pup needs love, care, attention, patience & energy just like raising a human baby. And when this realization struck, in most cases, that poor dog ends up being abused or abandoned.

I am doing a blog series this month in memory of our fur baby, #My_Son_Caesar.

Part 1 – In Memory of our fur baby, our dog Caesar!

Part 2 – How We Met Our Fur Baby? Did we Adopt or Buy?

Since this is the month of #MyFriendAlexa by Blogchatter, I will be linking all my posts to their website. Do check out the new reloaded Blogchatter website to discover some amazing blogs, bloggers, and campaigns.

Click on the below link to read the next part

Caesar’s First from the First Year | Why We Left him? – Blog Series (Part-4)

The post Raising a Pup | Caesar’s First Month & Health Issues – Blog Series (Part-3) appeared first on Growing With Nemit.

Hello friends, in this post, I am writing about how we met our fur baby. That day we went in search of a perfect pup. It took us some time to realize our mistake, but today I want to share our learnings with you and hope to spread awareness.

This post is part two of the blog series I am doing in memory of our fur baby, Caesar.

It was April 2015, just two months after our marriage, when I told my husband that we should get a dog. He already knew how much I loved animals, and somehow he anticipated this was coming. But before adding a new member to the family, we had to ask & convince everyone, especially my brother-in-law (BIL), who is still terrified of dogs. And, of course, my mother-in-law (MIL) since she was never in favor of getting a pet.

That was the weekend, and we were at my in-law’s place. It was a perfect day to bring up this conversation. We started with my BIL since we had the least hope that he would join the gang, but the moment he heard that we are thinking of getting a puppy, he was all cool & excited about it. Well, that was easy and totally unexpected; we took it as a sign.

Now, the next task was to convince my MIL; at first, she seemed upset, but my BIL joining our side made her give in. Yay! we are getting a puppy.

PIN IT!

Though I claimed I love animals, I had no idea how the breeders exploit animals to earn some bucks. And I am so ashamed for being ignorant at that time. 

Since we had no idea about the breeders’ unethical and ill practices and zero awareness about pet adoption, we went on with our search for a perfect pup.

We searched for breeders around Delhi, asked friends for recommendations, and visited many pet shops & kennels to find that perfect breed. I specifically wanted a labrador. The hunt went on for a few hours, but soon we started losing hope. Most of the pups we saw looked sad & in such poor condition. And the price that the owners were asking was unbelievably high & totally out of our budget.

We were thinking of going back home just when a friend of my BIL called & told him about a labrador pup available in our budget. We were literally jumping in excitement & immediately agreed to get him without even looking at him. But the moment I saw the pup, my heart sank.

Caesar – This image belongs to www.growingwithnemit.com, and reuse is strictly not permitted

He was the weakest of all the pups we had seen that day. He looked sick & miserable & he was so tiny that he fit in my hand. Moreover, he didn’t look like a labrador at all.

The owner told us that the pup’s mother had died; all his siblings had already found a home, and because he was the last born, nobody chose him. She even told us that he would die soon if she could not find a home for him.

I don’t know if that girl was telling the truth or playing with our emotions, but she succeeded in convincing us.

The moment I took him in my hands, I fell in love with that pup. Even though I knew the risk, I wanted him to come home with us. So, this is how we met our fur baby! #My_Son_Caesar

We paid 8k to the owner/breeder to buy that pup.

That is the mistake we humans make that makes the life of animals hell in the hands of breeders. We say that we love animals, but we are equally responsible for these voiceless beings’ plight in reality.

What if we had ADOPTED instead of BUYING?

A poor soul spending his days inside a cage at a shelter would have got a home.

What if the dog lovers decide to adopt pets from a genuine pet owner or an animal shelter and ditch buying? Maybe this could help in eliminating the puppy mills & backyard breeders.

And, if we really love dogs, which breed they are should not bother us.

SAVE A LIFE!

ADOPT, DON’T SHOP!

I found a thought-provoking article by Peta – There’s no such thing as a ‘Responsible Breeder.’ I have linked the article, do give it a read if you are considering buying a pet.

I am doing a blog series this month in memory of our fur baby, #My_Son_Caesar.

Part 1 – In Memory of our fur baby, our dog Caesar!

Since this is the month of #MyFriendAlexa by Blogchatter, I will be linking all my posts to their website. Do check out the new reloaded Blogchatter website to discover some amazing blogs, bloggers, and campaigns.

Click on the below link to read the next part

Raising a Pup | Caesar’s First Month & Health Issues – Blog Series (Part-3)

The post How We Met Our Fur Baby? Did we Adopt or Buy? – Blog Series (Part – 2) appeared first on Growing With Nemit.