The Year of the Dog

January 11th 2004 was the day we met. A mere 363 days ago. Sure, it's not like having a baby, but life certainly did change. The first few months were the "overprotective" ones - we didn't let the little boy out of our sight, or out of our yard. We'd been taught to be afraid of germs. (Of course as soon as he grew up enough to visit the beach, we saw countless itty-bitty puppies. First we'd look at each other and say "They'll be sorry when their dog gets Parvo..." but now it's more like "Think of all that fun we missed out on by being so overprotective.")

By his fifth month of life, our third month together, our world together grew immensely. We started to measure time by things that happened on the beach: from his first hole, to his first off-leash ball-chasing session, to his first wave. (We quickly learned that a quiet pond beats the ocean when it comes to getting any more than paws wet.) We also found that a weekend at home with the dog is pretty great, and barely flinched when every party invitation we received got the same rejection: "Sorry, we just can't leave home for that long."

When the world became our playground, just like our social life, our control went downhill. Virtually every command he knows now, he knew better when he was sixteen weeks old! But we keep trying, and as of the end of 2004 - we'd logged 27 weeks of obedience classes. Nevertheless, I sometimes think we've learned more tricks than the dog. Like 'how to get out the back door without being followed' or 'how to watch a movie in peace and quiet.'

It feels pretty routine, now, even though at least once a day I'm struck by the beauty of our pet. The fact that two species can co-exist with such harmony (except when he steals stuff) is heart-warmingly incredible. Thinking of getting a dog? Do it!