It seems unbelievable but, in just one week, it will be one year since Mommy adopted me on October 4, 2008. What a year it has been! Here are some of my recollections of my first year:
The highlight of my first month with my new Mommy was seeing the ocean and beach for the first time. Mommy took me downtown to walk on the boardwalk my first weekend with her. Oh man, incredible! The sights, the sounds, the smells! So many people & dogs to meet! She could barely restrain me on the leash! I wanted to meet the people, sniff the dogs, soar with the gulls, eat the french fries...and do it all at once!
This was the first time Mommy left me for more than a few hours. She went back up to Virginia for a few days to go to the doctor and see her friends and former coworkers there. I stayed with my Uncles Mikie, Dave and Bill and I did okay but man when Mommy came home, she thought I would NEVER stop kissing her! She said "Love means never having to say I'm sorry for slobbering all over you." hehe That Mommy, she can be so funny.
Fall 2008: Wow, a scary time. I was confused about my former family giving me away. It hurt 
my feelings. I missed them. Why? I must have been such a bad puppy to be given away. Is that why my new Mommy was so hard on me? My old family let me do whatever I wanted but this new Mommy expected me to learn things, like to sit down to get my leash on before we walk and to sit to be fed. The first night at my new Mommy's house, I cried and cried. I chewed and clawed at the door. I was SO scared and stressed out.
my feelings. I missed them. Why? I must have been such a bad puppy to be given away. Is that why my new Mommy was so hard on me? My old family let me do whatever I wanted but this new Mommy expected me to learn things, like to sit down to get my leash on before we walk and to sit to be fed. The first night at my new Mommy's house, I cried and cried. I chewed and clawed at the door. I was SO scared and stressed out.
The highlight of my first month with my new Mommy was seeing the ocean and beach for the first time. Mommy took me downtown to walk on the boardwalk my first weekend with her. Oh man, incredible! The sights, the sounds, the smells! So many people & dogs to meet! She could barely restrain me on the leash! I wanted to meet the people, sniff the dogs, soar with the gulls, eat the french fries...and do it all at once!Winter 2009: Once I got used to my new Mommy, I discovered that she is really nice. She is a
lot of fun to play with and she is very affectionate. On my 1st birthday, between Christmas and New Year's, she made me a birthday burger out of Angus beef and put a candle in it. Wow, was it good. YUMMO! I would love to eat like that every day! And it snowed--a lot! Oh man, SO much fun! I hopped around in it like a snow bunny, though it was very deep. I would purposely go into the deepest part cuz I loved to hop through it!
lot of fun to play with and she is very affectionate. On my 1st birthday, between Christmas and New Year's, she made me a birthday burger out of Angus beef and put a candle in it. Wow, was it good. YUMMO! I would love to eat like that every day! And it snowed--a lot! Oh man, SO much fun! I hopped around in it like a snow bunny, though it was very deep. I would purposely go into the deepest part cuz I loved to hop through it!Spring 2009: When the wintery weather gave way to lovely spring days, Mommy started taking me on longer and longer walks. We walked so much that we both lost our winter weight and were lean, mean, walkin' machines! People in the neighborhood would say to Mommy "Boy, you sure do walk that dog a lot." and she would answer "Well, I need the exercise and so does she!" I love that she loves to walk, because I notice that a lot of the other dog owners around here either don't walk their dogs at all (if they have a yard) or barely walk them far enough to pee and poop and then it's right back in the house. Whew! So glad I have a walkin' Mommy!
This was the first time Mommy left me for more than a few hours. She went back up to Virginia for a few days to go to the doctor and see her friends and former coworkers there. I stayed with my Uncles Mikie, Dave and Bill and I did okay but man when Mommy came home, she thought I would NEVER stop kissing her! She said "Love means never having to say I'm sorry for slobbering all over you." hehe That Mommy, she can be so funny.Summer 2009: WHEW, did it get hot! I had to get Mommy up early so we could get out for our
long morning walk before it got too hot. Neither she or I deal very well with hot weather so we would do our long walk early in the morning and then right before dark...and during the heat of the day we just ran out long for me to pee and right back in the AC! hehe Mommy put me in basic obedience class this summer. Didn't go very well--Mommy says I am a little ADD and get too easily distracted by other dogs and people--but I did at least graduate and learned some new stuff!
long morning walk before it got too hot. Neither she or I deal very well with hot weather so we would do our long walk early in the morning and then right before dark...and during the heat of the day we just ran out long for me to pee and right back in the AC! hehe Mommy put me in basic obedience class this summer. Didn't go very well--Mommy says I am a little ADD and get too easily distracted by other dogs and people--but I did at least graduate and learned some new stuff!It was also during summer that Mommy left again for another trip. This time, a whole week! Yikes! But I stayed with my uncles again and had GREAT fun! Unfortunately, not long after Mommy got back, I got really sick. The dogtor diagnosed me with pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas) plus inflamed liver and colon. We don't know exactly what caused it but I had to go on several medicines and eat a special diet until I got better. I'm finally getting back to normal now.
Fall 2009: I'm so excited cuz Mommy is throwing me a party for the 1st anniversary of my gotcha day! In the dog rescue/adoption community, Gotcha Day means the day that a dog was adopted or rescued and got a new home. So the party is going to be on October 4, 2009, which also happens to be the day of blessing for animals. How appropriate! I can't wait. Many of my friends, human and canine, are coming to the party. What fun! Check back for pictures later!
