Puppy Planning – Here Comes Charlie!

Here’s our little guy Charlie Bear standing in my office. We adopted him just a week ago and we’ve all been adapting quite well, though the idea of throwing ourselves back into 14-month-old puppyhood came with a lot of discussion and a bit of soul searching, but also an unwavering desire to give this needy guy a home.

Puppyhood…Survival 101 Could we handle a puppy all over again? This post from August 2010 http://bit.ly/dolrt0 is a look back at our dog Rex’s life. We got him as a puppy too, but we’re ten years older now. We go to bed early, sleep in on the weekends (at least a little), and we’re comfortable in our lifestyle. Were we ready for this?

Why Train Your Puppy?Last month I did a post on training a puppy http://bit.ly/bKrNnM. And that was even before we began to think about getting one again! Nevertheless, I’m a firm believer in positive training and reinforcement. Dogs are much happier when they know how to please you, and you’re happier when they can be part of the household. Isn’t it just the best when they can snuggle and lie by your side?

A Dog’s Life in Progression This post is from July 2010 http://bit.ly/d0CVrM and encompasses a photo look back at Rex’s ten years of life from capricious puppy to mellow man. It was a good reminder that yes, we did make it through the days when Rex was a terror; that yes, we survived his chewing, digging, barking and unruly behavior; and yes, it took a long time for him but he finally mellowed out (at about the age of 6 or 7) and became less impulsive. Could we give this new little guy a chance?

The answer was an unequivocal and resounding yes. He needed us. We have love to give. Lots and lots of love. But he didn’t come without some “issues.” We’ll go into those in the next post.

And don’t forget to watch for Charlie’s story. He’s going to share with you about what this is all like from his point of view. But first, he’s getting adjusted. Stay tuned!

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FEATURED PET PHOTOS:

Look at that cute face! This is Archie. He’s Niki’s West Highland White Terrier. “He seems to think if he gets in bed first, he gets to choose his spot and doesn’t have to move,” says Niki.

Thanks for sharing this awesome photograph. We have a few more pets to feature. Be on the lookout for yours.