Puppy Love: cute and cuddly

Gideon, a Maine Coon feline, gives a kitty kiss to Silas, a mini Australian shepherd. (courtesy of Shannon Higgins)

Puppy Love: cute and cuddly

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and the rush is on to plan romantic dinners and buy important gifts. It’s a special day for those in love, of course, but every day is special for those with pets, especially those lucky enough to have a new puppy in their home. Puppies provide a special kind of affection.

Almost nothing beats the feel of a puppy’s moist nose or a sloppy dog kiss. Dogs are loyal and give love unconditionally. They are fun on good days, but they are incredible on bad days. They are enthusiastic and always greet their owners with excitement.

Pets are important. They are soothing and their antics are delightful. Having a new pet is a wonderful experience, much like having a new baby. The animal soon becomes a part of the family and pet owners become very protective of their animals. The addition of a new pet is uplifting, especially when it’s a cute puppy.

Some Scripps Ranch residents are experiencing the joy of having a new puppy in their household this year and agreed to share their thoughts about their love for their pups:

Shannon Higgins sent adorable photos of Silas, her mini Australian shepherd puppy, along with his best feline friend Gideon, a Maine Coon.

“Silas is such a fun-loving, playful little guy,” Higgins explained. “We love watching him interact with our cat, Gideon – two different species of animals, years apart and yet they manage to get along and become best friends. We can learn a thing or two from our pets.”

While puppies can be a handful, a beautiful pet such as Silas makes it all worthwhile.

“Underneath all that beauty is a smart, sweet and loyal pup. If he hears someone approaching the door, immediately he comes and sits at our feet to protect us,” Higgins said. “Around 9 p.m., he lets us know he’s ready for bed by making a sound and looking up at the stairs. It’s the funniest thing!”

Meanwhile, the Spencer family, Jared and Geri Spencer and daughters Amber and Tiffany, added Daphne to their family. This is what they had to say about their new puppy who is about 13 weeks-old.

“She is extremely playful. She already has a bucket of toys and will make herself so dizzy playing that she falls over. After playing so hard she will pass out on her back with her legs going every direction.

“We love her markings on her face and her nose caught our eye in the first place. She tries to exert her will on the colder mornings and sits by the door rather than quickly going for her potty break, but she is starting to understand the faster she potties, the sooner she will be able to go back inside to the warmth.”

The Lyons family is enjoying two four-month-old Bichon Frise puppies, and each of the daughters in the family has been given one pup. Geddy is owned by Jocelyn Lyons and Solo is owned by Audrey Lyons.

“Solo is always there when I need him. It was a bit difficult in the beginning, as he is my first puppy ever, but we both eventually learned the ins-and-outs of having a puppy. I can’t imagine my life without him now,” Audrey said.

“I love the small quirks of Solo that makes him unique. Like how he sleeps on his back, and how he likes to lay down in small holes, like under the pillow or between my back and the couch,” she added. “When I arrive home, he’s always there, wagging his tail and jumping up on me. One of the best things about Solo is that he always is ready to cuddle on my lap.”

Geddy also brings a little added sunshine into their home.

“Geddy is very caring. Whenever I walk through the door, he brightens up my day by just wagging his tail. He brings joy into my life, even when he wakes me up at 3 in the morning. Geddy means the world to me and it’s hard to imagine a life without him,” Jocelyn said.

“Geddy is a very unique dog. He sits like a prince and it’s very regal-looking,” Jocelyn explained. “Sometimes, he runs and jumps into his bed like he’s had a long day at work. His nickname is ‘dirt-beard’ because he loves to dig around in the dirt. When he’s hot from running and playing, he lays down on the kitchen tiles like superman flying in the air. When he lays on his back, his ears flop back, making him look like a fox. Whenever I carry him, he puts his head on my shoulder, looking behind me.”

Donna Mirabella and her family, which includes four children attending Scripps Ranch schools, recently purchased a cute golden doodle puppy from a breeder in Utah.
“His name is Ted and our family adores him,” Mirabella said.

Rounding out this Scripps Ranch Puppy parade is Harper, a 4-month-old cutie recently adopted by the Butler family. He was adopted form Baja Dog Rescue, according to Alana Butler.