Lessons From My First Day

1. Just because your puppy spent fifteen minutes in the front yard sniffing around, successfully went potty, received copious praise and gobbled up her favorite chicken flavored treat DOES NOT INSURE that she WON'T come inside and immediately squat on the carpet!

2. If you think your puppy might hang out in the bathtub and happily chew on a doggie toy while you take a shower instead of freaking out, jumping up the side and sliding back down into the tub OVER and OVER and OVER while loudly whining .... you are probably wrong.

3. If you decide instead, that you'll just remove anything chewable from the floor, close the bathroom door and leave the shower door open slightly so your puppy knows you are still there....be prepared to finish your shower holding a wet puppy in one hand while attempting to shampoo, rinse and repeat with the other!

4. Taking a shower with your puppy is exhausting! You will both need a nap afterward!

5. If you are desperate to buy food and about half a dozen baby gates, you can take a sleeping puppy to WalMart in a tote bag and no one will ever know!

New Puppy Arrives

Our much anticipated new puppy arrived Friday night, June 4th. We picked her up at the Continental cargo building near the Atlanta airport, where she immediately stole our hearts by wagging her tail furiously and licking our faces with unabashed joy when let out of the pet carrier. She had traveled long and far from her original home in Portland, Oregon and probably would have given anybody who opened the door the same treatment, but we chose to take this as a sign that we are truly meant for each other!

She is a Brittany Spaniel named Dakota Rose, but we call her Koda. Both Dakota and Koda are Sioux for "friend or ally". Clayton was voting to name her "Rosie" , so she became Dakota Rose. , Clay asked us to look up "Rose" in the name book and we found it means......uh, rose..... So, no deep meaning there, although she is a "redhead" of sorts as her coloring is orange and white.

In deciding to get a dog, I remember thinking it would be a great way to get some regular exercise. So here I am on my first day alone with my new puppy and I've walked maybe 30 feet all day. I am convinced that the instant I turn my attention from Koda, she will pee or poop someplace I'd rather she didn't. I am watching her like my life depends on it ... or at least my carpet... taking her outside every hour or so and following the detailed, specific schedule helpfully scribed by Courtney, my very own 20 year old puppy expert.

Armed with a copy of "The Puppy Whisperer" and a shopping bag of recommended commodities from the local PetSmart, I'm ready to turn this little bundle of joy into the ideal family pet.....clearly at the expense of personal hygiene or a life outside my kitchen; the only room I dare allow her to stay for more than a few minutes (see "pee and poop" reference above). So we'll see how it goes!