Later that same day we arrived home with a German shepherd (perhaps crossed with a bit of lab) puppy in a cardboard box. On the journey in the car she cried, did a poo, was sick, then went to sleep. We decided to call her Koko. When we arrived we gave her some water in one of the cat's bowls, rushed down to the village to buy a chicken to cook with some rice and made her a food bowl out of an old water bottle.
We decided that Koko would have to live outside: we've got a small house and we wanted the cat to feel that she still had a home. The first night the puppy cried desperately and without much of a pause for her brothers and sisters. We tried to ignore the howls, but David went out a few times to calm her down. The second night the crying was less intense. And by night three we didn't hear a peep.
During her first few days it rained solidly. We sat outside, shivering in the shelter of the porch with her, learned to play doggie games together and built her a run out of some old chicken wire and bits of wood. Eventually, the Amazon delivery containing much-needed puppy manuals arrived.
Since then, Koko has been mostly growing, eating, playing and charming everyone in the village (in spite of her enjoyment of chewing people's arms and fingers). We've been mostly exhausted. My bedtime reading is puppy manuals. And the cat isn't at all impressed by her waggish antics.
One day, I imagine, she'll be a great guard dog.
