Life with Arlo
Chapter 2: We have the puppy. Yeah he’s cute. Now what?
How is Betty, our 6 year old german shepherd mix, going to deal with or even like a puppy. They can be kind-of annoying. I put Betty in the basement, closed the gate and let the puppy in and waited. Betty is an alpha dog, well she always tries to be. She whined and whined to be let out as she could see him though the gate. So, we let her up. Sniffing happened, then racing and chasing, tug -o-war. What is she doing? On her back? She has never rolled over for another dog in her life, what in the world has gotten in to her. Watching Betty with the pup was simply amazing.
OK, so Arlo did it. He wormed his cute little face into my heart. It only took seconds for Peter to fall in love. I was a bit harder to win over, maybe 2 minutes. But now what? I don’t know what to do with a puppy. I talk with new puppy owners all the time but everything I know flies out the window. How do you potty train? leash train? off leash train? How do you train a puppy not to chew on stuff that is not theirs? Thankfully his first “mom” worked with him and taught him most of the basic commands. During the first week he only had 3 accidents in the house and really they were our fault . I was busy doing something, pretty sure it was incredibly important, in the living room and I hear scratching at the back door. Small house, I can see the back door. I tell him to wait just a minute and go back to what I was doing. Suddenly, the smell hits me. WHOA BOY what is that dog eating?! Well, he tried to tell me. He had to go RIGHT now.What a good boy, it was right by the door. Again, I think how lucky we are to have gotten the bestest, brightest puppy ever. Having him kennel trained from the beginning was such a blessing. I don’t know how people do it with out having a kennel. He feels so comfortable in it that he goes in there for no reason. Betty will also go in the kennel for a nap.
Arlo and Peter, my husband, just finished Arlo’s first puppy training class. OMG, how cute are they. They both did wonderful, practiced during the week.
True love in its purest form.
Kim F, CVT
The Story of How “Arlo” Found Us
In early November, I mentioned to Peter (husband of 30 yrs) that we should think about another dog for Betty, our 4 year old husky/sheperdy dog. She’s been 4 years old for the last 2 years and would love a playmate. I decided a young adult would be best as we (I) did not want a puppy. That was the end of the conversation. We didn’t really discuss it any further.
Peter has always wanted a golden retriever. I have always said he was out of his mind. Did he not know that they are puppies like until they are 12 or so? They chew on anything and they eat all sorts of things that may need to be removed surgically along with other health issues and did I mention they chew stuff?
A few weeks later, the rest of a litter of golden came in to the clinic for second puppy vaccines. OMG, how cute are they? All golden red, happy, bouncy and just plain smoochy. All had been homed except for Spot, he’d had a heart murmur on his first exam and the owner wanted to make sure he was healthy before homing him.
Enter my “friend” and co-worker Tammy. While I was busy smooching puppies, Tammy is telling me that Spot needs a home. I said “I have never paid for a dog” and really don’t want a puppy let alone a golden. Did I say how super duper cute these puppies were? Tammy says “he’s not for sale but….”. I called Peter and asked him how he felt about a golden puppy. “You know how I feel about goldens, why?” I replyed that there may be a puppy available. What, wait put the breaks on! Really what am I thinking? 30 minutes later I called Peter back and said “his name is Arlo, see ya tonight.”
Really truly it was love at first tail wag. They both fell in love immediately. All I could do is watch and smile as my husband turned into a big mush with this pup.
Kim F
North Portland Veterinary Hospital Employee for 50 million years
Certified Veterinary Technician
Client Care Representative
