Years ago when my parents listened to the radio for election results, they would hear the announcer say “another county heard from.” This became an often heard comment in our family whether one of the younger kids woke from a nap or one of us chimed into a conversation not involving the kid speaking up. I heard the phrase long before I was told of its origin, and I thought for a long time that it was just a family line.
Now that Emmy, the Australian Shepherd puppy, has entered our life, I find myself saying “another county heard from” when she awakens in the middle of the night for her trip outside. We had been living with an elderly dog who was content to sleep, eat, wander from room to room and go out on our schedule. She had long ago outgrown “accidents.” The way to avoid puppies using the house instead of the yard is to take them out all the time when they are not in their crate. Emmy just sleeps overnight and at her afternoon nap in the crate. Otherwise Charlie and I rotate taking her out on the hour–even for him, odd for me. That MOSTLY works.
We are a little(or a lot)sleep deprived since neither of us can fall immediately back to sleep after going outside at 2am. Nonetheless she is a welcome addition to our family, another living creature sharing our home after too many quiet dog free months.
Saved By Words 
I recall hearing those words on occasion as a boy, but I don’t remember exactly who said them….in fact, I’d forgotten all about them until I read your post. Thanks for bringing them back (vague though the memories be).
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That fluffy bundle will grow so quickly!
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I’ve never lived with a puppy. How long will this constant potty rotation last? I’m sure you don’t know at this point, but Emmy will outgrow it eventually.
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I remember the saying well. It was used in our home too. This too shall pass and the night time routine will settle in. I am not quite sure I could do puppy duty again. My last four dogs have been rescues. It was easier for me.
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So cute! At least Emily will grow out of these middle of the night trips. I’m having trouble with my two kitties who want to go in and out at night and I’m trying hard to break them of it.
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This too will pass.
I planned to stay dog-free after the last of our dog family died. Hubby worked late shifts, I had staff committee committments at work and the kids were teens and out a lot.
We lasted two months before adopting two dogs from the RSPCA.
I didn’t run again for staff rep on the committee and the kids started spending evenings at home (with their friends. (I sometimes felt I was feeding the school, but, hey…)
Haven’t been dog-free since.
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We never used a crate when Ollie was a pup. We put his bed down in the kitchen at night, and spread puppy pads around it. It only took a couple of weeks before he got used to being let out in the morning to pee, and we never used the last pads in the box. I think we were very lucky.
Best wishes, Pete.
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We are trying a crate and it seems to suit her. She is loving our yard and seems eager to hold it long enough to be out there chasing leaves.
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Wow, you have a new cute puppy.
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She is so lovely! Hard work for you at the moment but the rewards will come. I hope this phase doesn’t last too long!
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I imagine I will forget it once it passes. I seem to have forgotten this phase with the previous three puppies we have owned.
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Now I know why we always had cats😊
Like newborns being fed every 3/4 hours I’m sure you’ll soon begin to lengthen the interval between those trips outside so Emmy’s bladder learns to cope. lol I don’t think I’d be able to go back to sleep at 2am either….do you just open the door and encourage her to go out or are you out there with her. (What’s the weather like at that time?)
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She can’t master the stairs so I am carrying her down and out. It has been raining. I am hoping that she can hold it longer once the snow arrives
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What a sweet picture. Puppies are a lot of work but worth it in the end.
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Thanks for the encouragement. Going from a 15 year old dog to a 8 week puppy is quite a change.
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She will quickly become trained, although it doesn’t seem like that to you right now. Oh, Emmy is absolutely adorable! I can only imagine how many times you have said, “another county heard from.”
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She is quite trainable already. Seems quite ready to be herding sheep.
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Haha! I love it.
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While there are always plenty of adventures and disasters with puppies, their cuteness and the fact that most eventually grow up is worth the tradeoff for me.
I don’t ever remember hearing the expression “another country heard from.”
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Maybe it was an East Coast thing. My parents were from NYC.
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What a cutie. I’m glad my “puppy” is now 8. But when she wants to go outside at night, it’s because there’s a deer or some other wild creature in our yard. I love how we take outside phraseology and pull it in to become part of the story! I love the election night tie – how we wait with anticipation for one county and another to report.
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Thanks.
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What an adorable new pup! They are plenty of work but so worth it in the end. 💞
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Thanks. I wrote more about her today.
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Cool! I will have to go check it out. 😊
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