One Well Rounded Puppy Life.

We have a new puppy in our home.  We also have new parents in our home, new trainers etc. 

 

It is so interesting to see the different ways we all interact with this little puppy.

 

Two in here baby him, carry him around like he can’t walk, take naps with him, sneak him treats, giggle and laugh as he takes the upper hand misbehaving.

 

One wrestles on the floor, and almost acts like his species, tugging on socks, and rawhide, rolling around until one becomes tired, and it is usually the human.

 

My husband has had many dogs, and he seems the most natural with him.  He becomes a little boy again as he playfully teases him and loves to see his tentativeness with new strange noises.  Mostly loves the tail wagging greeting each time he sees him.

 

A few take him for walks, but underestimate his endurance, or maybe theirs.  He doesn’t feel confident enough to not walk between your legs, bumping into your ankles.  It is a big and unknown world out there.

 

In the house, they are interrupted as he is forever doing what puppies do. 

 

No more just lying around.  He is always into something; chewing a shoe, digging in the trash, a book, a magazine, a laptop cord, or doing his duty inside.

 

Lucky for us we have a relay team and we can pass him on to another person.  Imagine it takes 6 of us to keep up with one of him!

 

It is fun to watch how each interacts with him, how they slip him treats or think they found what he loves the most.  How he seems to know who he can do what with.

 

In the mornings, it is just he and I, and at first he thought I would be his playmate, but now he realizes that he and I spend quiet time.  He is lying on my feet as I type. 

 

I am the one who gets him up early for his morning potty break, I am the one for his breakfast, and we begin quietly.

 

As soon as one of the ‘spoiling giggling’ girls come by, he misbehaves, biting on their pant legs.  He is no dummy, he knows who he can do what with.

 

I watch them trying to get him to behave, they quickly learn stern is ok.  That it is up to them to make him stop, he will not on his own.

 

Puppies do not come filled with all the rules and correct behaviors; it is up to us to set the boundaries, to let him know what is acceptable and what is not. 

 

It is a huge world for him to learn, a vast amount of things to explore and taste and play with, he is brand new to this planet and to being a dog. 

 

We keep him safe, we allow him to grow, we build the dog of his dreams, introducing him to things he loves to do, neither of us are sure what those things are, yet.

 

It seems the kids are torn between having a dog and his chores, of being loved by him and annoyed by him, the two sides jostling around, as he is himself.

 

He is giving them a view of being responsible for another, for it is one thing to take care of yourself, but a whole new thing to teach another how to treat you.

 

They are seeing how kindness and spoiling will not beget good behavior.  How treats follow good behavior not proceed.

 

I love that they get to try their hands at parenting with this little puppy in our home with two more experienced teachers; we are like training wheels as they take a spin into parenthood.

 

I can see how beneficial it would be to have multi-generations in one home, how a young mother/father could learn from their parents on what to do and how.

 

We all will bring him a different view of life, from the rough and tumble, to the napping with treats, to just being quiet together, with the six of us he gets it all, one well rounded puppy life!