From The Pumpkin Patch

I want to introduce you to someone very special.

Meet Stockton Maverick, our little Cairn terrier puppy. Isn’t he adorable?

We’d been talking about getting a puppy for a while, but hadn’t fully committed to the idea.

Then last week, my husband found a litter of Cairn terrier puppies for sale in Lincolnshire, a few hours drive from London. I don’t know what came over me, but I booked a day off work last-minute and we set off for the countryside.

It was so lovely to see the puppies with their parents, and to watch as they all charged around the garden together. I didn’t see how we could possibly choose. But there was one puppy who was a little smaller than the others, who came up and looked at us with big eyes, who seemed confident in himself despite his size.

He was the one, and we took him home with us that day. We fell in love straight away.

To be perfectly honest, I didn’t realise a puppy would be so much work. I’ve been completely overwhelmed for the past week! Between feeding, training, keeping the house tidy and staying on top of my work, I haven’t had a lot of free time. Plus, the sleep deprivation is rough. But it’s so worth it.

I find so much joy and fulfilment in watching him sleep all cosy in his bed, in preparing his food and cleaning up, in seeing his little face and frantically wagging tail when he greets me. I love it when he snuggles up on my lap and falls asleep, when he breathes his coffee-smelling breath in my face, when he plays with his favourite squeaky toy (and goes a little crazy!)

On the practical side, we’ve taken him for his first vet appointment and got him started on his vaccines, as well as stocking up on his flea and worm medications. He’s been doing so well with training (he knows ‘come here’, ‘sit’, ‘stay’ ‘lie down’ and ‘give me your paw’ already) and seems to have settled into his crate and toilet routine. Every day has been a new adventure.

I’m so excited for the day we take him for his first walk. And can you imagine the cute outfits and accessories during autumn? I can just see him dressed in a little pumpkin outfit for Halloween, or something festive for Christmas.

You’ll be hearing a lot more about Stockton over the coming months and years, so I wanted to give him a proper introduction here on the blog. He’s so happy to meet you!

Above everything, I hope we can give him a safe, loving and comfortable home with us. Our little boy deserves the entire world.