First ride in the car

We picked up our new Wallace at 7 weeks old on January 2, 2014 from Southland Kennel in Stafford, Virginia. After losing our almost 14 year old chocolate labrador in September, the sentiment was bittersweet to have a new baby in the house. The three months without a dog were quiet, wanting, and honestly, lacking the chaos that a good family life needs. Dogs make you love, they make you talk to each other, they help teach lessons and they divert you from the realities of work, finances and down-in-the-dumps self focus.  You still have to pay the bills and go to work, but, much like the births of both my children, puppies help to rebalance the priorities.

From the moment we met Wallace, with his two brothers, we knew he was ours. The steely blue green eyes, quite unique on a chocolate, and the fact that the other two promptly fell asleep, sealed the deal. We had the pick of the boys. My daughter, Alban and I had carefully strategized how we would pick not the biggest, boisterous of the bunch nor the wallflower. We were certain of the three, that there would be a perfect middle. There was. And he was wide awake running around the kennel trying to get out and see the world.

His first night was long. While he was fine, his new mother, me, was a nervous wreck waking up and taking him out in 6 inches of snow every two hours. I have kennel trained my dogs and found that, especially for the first months and year, this gives them their own home, protected from children and big boots. It offers a secure place where they can’t eat your furniture, and, almost immediately, a place where they won’t use the bathroom in your house. The first two days he was only closed up in it at night; by the third day (complete with a cushy bed) he sought it out on his own. We taught the kids the rules and my daughter had it down–taking him out when he wakes up, praising him when he made it outside to the bathroom (we are still at a 95% success rate on that front!), and how to prevent him from biting shoes, hands, hair and any other moving body part or clothing.

The first weeks have been joyful, chaotic, painful and somewhat sleepless. At 9 weeks he is sleeping 10pm – 6 am. He has learned to use the doggy door to come in from outside. He sits on command and for his meals. He has gained 5 lbs. We think he has only eaten one lego(a small one). I have spent more time outside than I can remember in January. He loves the snow. He has discovered dogs, cats, soccer balls, his dog food, and his children. They are all smitten with each other. And that is worth bringing home any day.