Puppy love

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We've had Alice for a month now and life has been wonderful. She is such a sweet, good natured girl and fits in well with Robert and me. My parents have three dogs, so I'm used to helping out. However, having my own pet brings a few challenges I wasn't prepared for.

For starters, if Alice does something naughty, Robert and I have to be the bad guys. She's usually very well behaved, but lately, our placemats and Xbox controllers have been getting chewed on. We tell her off when we catch her, but it’s so tough to be stern with her. Actually, she has me figured out very well. Whenever I’m tough on her, she gives me this extremely sad face and my heart melts! I know that I have to tell her off sometimes, but I'm not very good at it. I need to find a way to be stern and not feel like a horrible person when doing it.

Which brings me to another point - training. She's already house trained, but there are a few things we want her to learn, such as sitting still when we put her lead on. Right now she's so excited to go out that she jumps all over the place. She also likes to shove her nose in my boot or run between my legs when I’m trying to get dressed. We’ve been trying commands and issuing her treats when she does what we ask. It works for the lead, but we haven’t found anything that stops her from jumping on us. With time, and a few days of Animal Planet, I’m hoping I’ll find a method that suits us both.

Challenges aside, there have been some really incredible moments. I love our walks in the morning and the appreciation she shows me when I fix her breakfast. Sometimes, she’ll run over, give me a quick kiss, and run back over to eat. I’ve also loved our lazy weekends together. Most mornings she will snuggle up between us and just waste a few hours with Robert and I. It’s so precious.

A lot of our friends and family have asked whether Alice was the first step. . . you know, before we start trying for a baby. Honestly, I just love dogs and I've wanted my own dog for a long time. If anything, she reminds me just how unprepared I would be for a baby. It’s been Robert and I for so long and I’m reminded of how selfish I am about my time. It’s also a reminder of how little accidents affect someone with OCD and germ issues.

Don’t get me wrong though, Alice is the perfect companion. I’m thankful for every day with her, even the challenging ones. I just know that she's the only addition we'll be making to our family for a while.

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