What a trip!

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One of those kind of trips where you don't actually go anywhere, but your mindset shifts and you feel the whole planet twist under your feet. A puppy. What a trip!

Puppy is about to turn 5 months, and has been in our lives for almost 3 months now. We have mostly conquered potty training, crate training and the basics of obedience. Puppy has also conquered us, as she has transformed our cold icy hearts into piles of mush at the slightest whimper.

We had a brief medical emergency this week when we discovered blood in her stools. Off to the vet to find out that there is a big difference in bright red (goodish, ie intestinal inflammation) and dark red (scary, ie internal bleeding) blood in the stools. We did a quick diet correction and within 24 hours we had a great reversal in her condition.

We have been exploring lots of different training avenues on top of basic obedience, including agility for puppies, tricks, and soon scent training. I have big plans to have her certified as a therapy dog (for seniors and students), but we will need to conquer some of her timidity with strangers for that to work out. And there are plans that she joins us on our world travels.

She came home in November a mere 4 lbs, and has now hit 10 lbs with a forecasted 13 lbs final weight. She is a furry, energetic, smart little sponge that has shaped our day to day in a way I never predicted.

Im so glad I finally jumped on this opportunity. I had been waiting a long time to find a dog after my German Shepherd mix passed in 2010 but I was either too busy with work, or too busy with travel projects. Finding the right timing to commit to the extensive process that is puppy training plus the long term commitment of stewardship ... well it was not a decision taken lightly.

But Im super happy to have this bundle of joy in our life, and happy to discover the path ahead.
















Comments

  1. TeresaAFebruary 22, 2024 at 6:56 AM

    She is so cute. I’ll be joining you soon with a puppy in about 7 weeks. 😁

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nat DFebruary 22, 2024 at 7:05 AM

      How fun! It was a ton of work in the worst of it, but Im already nostalgic.

      Delete

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