We named her Indiana Jane

I loved reassuring the little white ball of fur on my lap as we drove home. She shivered, not knowing where she was headed or who we were. This is the puppy we had put off acquiring for years. She wasn't the 10- or 12-pound poodle I wanted, nor the extra-large Irish Wolfhound longed for by my husband. But, we both agreed to feed her, entertain her, take her through puppy classes, and raise her to be a healthy canine citizen. 

Only a few days before, my husband was petting the new black, male puppy next door. I ambled over and he said, "We need one of these!" I was a little surprised but confirmed with him that he would invest full parental care, rights, and privileges in a dog estimated to weigh just between 15 to 20 pounds. He was smitten! Who wouldn't be with a furry small hamster, puppy, or kitten? They capture your heart.

When we drove to choose a puppy, it was in the next town, out in the country. We turned into a long gravel driveway and parked in front of the second house. There were at least seven or eight puppies beyond the house on a small ridge playing with each other, bounce-running, scampering around tree stumps, and gnawing on sticks. A tumble (pack) of little puppies in white, brown, and black! 

The owner emerged and we acknowledged one another, not shaking hands due to the pandemic. In a thick local accent, he explained that the Terrier next door had found his Mini-Golden Doodle female, so these puppies were a crossbreed. He said the puppies were weaned at five weeks. A friend's dog died giving birth to puppies, so he loaned his female dog to help. My husband told me to pick out a puppy, while he continued to talk with the owner. 

I studied the available females and was drawn to a lovely white one who would play with the pack a little while, but then wander off on her own on the house lawn, gnawing on a stick and bouncing from this place to that. I decided that I liked her independence. She displayed courage too, sniffing in the grass and evaluating things on her own. Before we left, we found out the owner's daughter had named her "Jane."

When we returned home, it wasn't long before we needed to go to bed. It had been decades since either of us had cared for a puppy. I recalled having a ticking alarm clock underneath some bedding to comfort my Sheltie puppy and remind it of its mother's heartbeat. I didn't have a wind-up clock, but it didn't matter. We brought a low-sided container into the bedroom and I lined it with the towel I had used to hold her on the way home. I placed her in this cozy bed. She walked out of it right away and headed to the dining room. I took the towel out there and she nestled contentedly in the towel all night.

When you name a puppy, relatives and friends feel compelled to assist! We had suggestions from Indiana, Maryland, Florida, and as far away as Greece! My sister-in-law was sure her name should be Bianca. While she was white, and Bianca sounded like a cute and prestigious name, I couldn't see me calling a dog with a three-syllable name. I didn't see a calm, girly disposition to this puppy either. I kept thinking of independence and courage. I liked the association with Indiana Jones, attitude and courage with independence. The plain "Jane" didn't fit, but after several days we decided on the understated name IJ, a "cloaked" nickname for Indiana Jane.